Family and Education

3rd s. of Simon Cayley (s. of Sir William Cayley, 2nd Bt.) of Brompton, Yorks. m., 1 da.

Offices Held

Sec. to Sir Thomas Saunderson, minister to Lisbon, 1722; chargé d’affaires at Lisbon 1723-4, 1725; consul at Cadiz 1726-39; consul at Faro, Portugal 1739-46; commr. of Excise 1755-67.

Biography

In 1754 Cayley was returned on the Government interest. On 1 June 1754 he applied to Newcastle for an official appointment, claiming that Pelham had intended to make him a lord of Trade, or at least a commissioner of Excise. ‘I have spent my best days in the King’s service with the zeal and fidelity that are known to your Grace, and have hitherto had no advantages fall to my lot, that I am now, my Lord, making hasty approaches to the close of my humble part in life.’1 Appointed to the Board of Excise in 1755, he resigned on account of ill-health in 1767 and died 14 Feb. 1768.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: A. N. Newman

Notes

• 1. Add. 32735, f. 355.