ANDERSON PELHAM, Charles (1749-1823), of Brocklesby, Lincs.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820, ed. R. Thorne, 1986
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1768 - 1774
1774 - 13 Aug. 1794

Family and Education

b. 3 Feb. 1749, 1st s. of Francis Anderson of Manby in Broughton by Eleanor, da. of Thomas Carter of Bathafarn, Denb. educ. Eton 1763-5. m. 21 July 1770, Sophia, da. and h. of George René Aufrere of Chelsea, Mdx. 2s. 5da. suc. fa. 1758; gt.-uncle Charles Pelham to Brocklesby and took additional name of Pelham 1763. cr. Baron Yarborough 13 Aug. 1794.

Offices Held

Master, Brocklesby hounds 1763-1816; sheriff, Lincs. 1771-2; recorder, Grimsby 1786-d.

Capt. Caistoryeomanry 1798; lt.-col. commdt. N. Lincs. vols. 1803.

Biography

One of England’s wealthiest commoners with electoral interests at Beverley and Grimsby, Anderson Pelham looked to a peerage: Pitt’s not giving him one in 1784 fixed him in opposition. A member of Brooks’s since 1775, he joined the Whig Club, 3 Apr. 1786, and could be relied on to subscribe to Whig funds. His return for Lincolnshire in 1790 was, as always, unopposed. He voted against the ministry on the Oczakov question, 12 Apr. 1791. He was listed a supporter of the repeal of the Test Act in Scotland that month, and was perhaps the ‘Mr Pelham’ who spoke on the corn bill, 27 May 1791: but he suffered from a speech impediment. He was listed a Portland Whig in December 1792, voting with the majority against Fox’s amendment to the address on the 13th. He was deleted from Windham’s provisional list for a ‘third party’ in February following. On 2 May 1793 he voted for the reception of the Sheffield petition for reform, and presumably he was the ‘Mr Pelham’ who voted on 17 June for Fox’s motion against the war with France. He further voted with the minority of 8 Apr. 1794 in favour of taxing placemen and pensioners and with that of 16 May against the suspension of habeas corpus. Lord Spencer commented, on hearing that he was to have a peerage in August that year, ‘Pelham of Lincoln has not been a good boy as to voting so why is he to have one?’. His friendship with the Duke of Portland doubtless counted for much.

Yarborough resumed opposition in the Lords after 1802, but as one of the more conservative Whig grandees. He died 22 Sept. 1823, best known as a field sportsman.

Wentworth Woodhouse mun. F115/8, 66; Ginter, Whig Organization, 76; Sir J. W. F. Hill, Georgian Lincoln, 218; Holkham mss, Wilbraham to Coke, 15 Dec. 1792; Spencer mss, Lady to Ld. Spencer, 3 Aug. 1794.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes