FINCH, Hon. William Clement (1753-94), of Albury, Surr.

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

Constituency

Dates

1790 - 30 Sept. 1794

Family and Education

b. 27 May 1753, 3rd s. of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford, and bro. of Hon. Edward Finch*. educ. Westminster 1764-5. m. 3 Aug. 1789, Mary, da. of Henry Brouncker of St. Kitts, 3s. 2da.

Offices Held

Lt. RN 1772, cdr. 1776, capt. 1777, r.-adm. 1794.

Biography

After service in the American war Finch settled as a gentleman farmer in Surrey, where he purchased Albury from his brother the 4th Earl.1 On 21 June 1790 he offered for the county ‘in support of those patriotic principles which ... have actuated the present administration, so much to the prosperity and honour of this country’. In the ensuing contest he defeated Sir Joseph Mawbey, who was also a supporter of Pitt, but who refused to join forces with him. His expenses were paid by the Treasury.2

Finch made no mark in the House. In April 1791 he was listed hostile to the repeal of the Test Act in Scotland. Three brief speeches, one attributed to ‘Mr’ and two to ‘the Hon. Capt. Finch’ in 1792 may be his.3 He was a teller for the Farnham Hop bill, 22 Apr., 30 May 1793. He died after a long illness, 30 Sept. 1794. Albury was sold in 1800 to Samuel Thornton*.4

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

  • 1. Gent. Mag. (1794), ii. 1051.
  • 2. Public Advertiser, 22, 26 June, 1 July 1790; see SURREY.
  • 3. See FINCH, Hon. Edward.
  • 4. Brayley, Surr. v. 159.