VAUGHAN, William (1707-75), of Corsygedol, Merion.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Apr. 1734 - 1768

Family and Education

b. 1707, 1st s. of Richard Vaughan, M.P., and bro. of Evan Lloyd Vaughan.  educ. Chester and Mortlock schools; St. John’s, Camb. 1727.  m. 2 Dec. 1732, his cos. Catherine, da. and coh. of Hugh Nanney, M.P., of Nannau, 1da. d.v.p.  suc. fa. 28 Mar. 1734.

Offices Held

Custos rot. Merion. Apr. 1731-69, ld. lt. Apr. 1762- d.

Biography

A country gentleman with Tory leanings, Vaughan was returned unopposed for Merioneth in 1754 and was classed by Dupplin as ‘doubtful’. In 1761 Newcastle did not summon Vaughan at the opening of the session; but in Bute’s list he was marked ‘Government’. He is not in Fox’s list of Members in favour of the peace preliminaries. He supported the Grenville Administration; and on 16 Feb. 1764, during the campaign over general warrants, Edward Kynaston, who had heard that Vaughan was ‘to go into the country next week’, wrote to Jenkinson to ask whether it would not be proper ‘to keep him in town a little longer’.1 Rockingham in July 1765 classed Vaughan as doubtful, but he did not vote against the repeal of the Stamp Act. Under the Chatham Administration he was classed by Newcastle as a Tory. According to Almon’s list, Vaughan voted against the Government over the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767, but his name does not appear in Newcastle’s list.

He retired at the general election of 1768 and died 12 Apr. 1775.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Peter D.G. Thomas

Notes

  • 1. Jenkinson Pprs. 265-6.