Family and Education

b. 26 Sept. 1785, 1st s. of Charles Townshend*, 1st Baron Bayning. educ. Eton 1799-1802; Trinity Coll. Camb. 1805. unm. suc. fa. as 2nd Baron Bayning 19 May 1810.

Offices Held

Capt. Norf. militia 1802, Honingham vols. 1805.

Biography

Townshend was returned for Truro on a vacancy by his Eton contemporary Edward Boscawen* when the latter inherited the title. He succeeded his aged father to the barony and an ‘encumbered patrimony’ two years later. In the meantime he had given a silent support to government, voting assiduously with them against inquiry into the Scheldt expedition, January-March 1810, and also against sinecure reform, 17 May 1810. In 1811 he was reported to have let Honingham to (Sir) John Lubbock*, ‘and the rent £700, will be nearly all his income’. He died 2 Aug. 1823.

Jerningham Letters, i. 369; ii. 9.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes