Family and Education

b. 8 Dec. 1708, 3rd surv. s. of John Hanbury of Pontypool, Mon. and bro. of Capel Hanbury.  educ. Eton 1720; Grand Tour (Belgium, Switzerland, Italy) 1724-1726.  Assumed add. name of Williams in 1729 in accordance with will of his godfa. Charles Williams, whose property he inherited.  m. 1 July 1732, Lady Frances Coningsby, da. and h. of Thomas, 1st Earl of Coningsby, 2da.  K.B. 20 Oct. 1744.

Offices Held

Paymaster of marines Nov. 1739-47; ld. lt. Herefs. July 1742-7; envoy at Dresden 1747-9, 1751-5; envoy at Berlin 1750-1; ambassador at St. Petersburg 1755-7.

Biography

Hanbury Williams was well-known as a diplomatist and man of letters. He was returned for Leominster, where he was high steward, on the interest of his wife’s estate of Hampton Court, Herefordshire. He left England in August 1754, before the new Parliament assembled, and when he returned in February 1758 was insane and unable to take any part in public life. After a partial recovery in the summer of 1758, he became ill again in the December, and died by his own hand on 2 Nov. 1759.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: J. A. Cannon

Notes