Family and Education

b. 14 Jan. 1749, 2nd but 1st. surv. s. of William Drake I*, and bro. of William Drake II* and Charles Drake Garrard*. educ. Westminster 1764-7; Brasenose, Oxf. 1767. m. 8 Aug. 1780, Anne, da. and coh. of Rev. William Wickham of Garsington, Oxon., 5s. 3da. suc. to estates of his distant cos. Sir John de la Fountain Tyrwhitt, 6th Bt.^†, of Stainfield, Lincs. and took name of Tyrwhitt 24 Feb. 1776; fa. 1796, and took additional name of Drake 20 Dec. 1796.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Glam. 1786-7; capt. Amersham vol. inf. 1798.

Biography

Tyrwhitt Drake came in for the family borough in June 1795 on the death of his elder brother, and shortly after his return at the general election of 1796 he inherited the family estate and with it control of Amersham. He evidently supported Pitt and does not appear in opposition to Addington. (The Tyrwhitt who flirted with the ‘armed neutrality’ in 1797 was almost certainly Thomas Tyrwhitt*, but this Member cannot be entirely ruled out.) There seems to have been some uncertainty as to his allegiance in 1804, for in the government list of September he was initially classed as a supporter of Pitt, but was subsequently transferred to ‘doubtful’. He voted for the criminal prosecution of Melville, 12 June 1805 and, in the government list of 25 July, was placed in the category of ‘doubtful Pitt’. He supported the ‘Talents’, voting for the repeal of the Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806; but, as Lord Buckingham thought might be the case, he did not adhere to them in opposition after their fall. Reckoned a supporter of the government of the day by the Whigs in March 1810, Tyrwhitt Drake voted with ministers on the address, 23 Jan., and the issue of Lord Chatham’s narrative, 23 Feb. 1810, but against Perceval’s notion exonerating the Duke of York, 17 Mar. 1809. There is no record of his having spoken in the House. He died 18 Oct. 1810.

Add. 41851, f. 325.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: David R. Fisher

Notes