POCHIN, Charles William (1777-1817), of Barkby Hall, Leics.

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

Constituency

Dates

1807 - 1812

Family and Education

bap. 30 May 1777,1 1st s. of Thomas Pochin of Loughborough by Elizabeth, da. of Joseph Bird of West Leaker and Sutton, Notts. educ. Clare, Camb. 1795. m. 13 Dec. 1802, Anne Jane, da. of Clement Winstanley of Braunstone, Leics., s.p. suc. fa. 1789; to Leics. estates of his kinsman William Pochin* on d. of William’s sis. Mary 1804.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Leics. 1816-17.

Capt. Leics. militia 1799-1801, Leicester yeomanry 1803.

Biography

Pochin was returned for Enniskillen after Castlereagh had come to an arrangement with its patron Lord Enniskillen.2 The chief secretary Sir Arthur Wellesley clearly did not regard him as being under his control like other Irish Members, and in his memorandum on Irish representation noted against Pochin’s name: ‘Refer to the Treasury’. He supported all three motions hostile to the Duke of York, 15-17 Mar. 1809, but voted with government throughout on the inquiry into the Scheldt expedition, January-March 1810. On 16 Apr. he voted for the release of the radical Gale Jones. The Whigs classed him as ‘doubtful’ in 1810, but he voted against government on the Regency, 1 Jan. 1811; on three motions for economical reform, 7, 22 and 24 Feb. 1812; on Stuart Wortley’s motion, 21 May, and on the leather tax, 1 July 1812. He supported Grattan’s motion for Catholic relief, 24 Apr. 1812. After the 1812 election government classed him as one of the followers of Canning who had not returned to the House. There is no record of his having spoken in debate. Pochin died 13 June 1817.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: J. M. Collinge

Notes

  • 1. W. G. D. Fletcher, Leics. Peds. 38.
  • 2. Wellington mss, Long to Wellesley, 11 May [1807].