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CALMADY, Josias II (c.1652-1714), of the Inner Temple and Leawood, Bridestowe, Devon.
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Biography Detail
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Family and Education
b. c.1652, 3rd but 1st surv. s. of Shilston Calmady of Leawood by Elizabeth, da. and coh. of Humphrey Gayer of Plymouth. educ. Trinity, Oxf. matric. 5 May 1668, aged 16; I. Temple 1669, called 1676. m. (1) lic. 29 Dec. 1680, Elizabeth (d. 27 Feb. 1695), da. and coh. of Sir Edward Waldo, Clothworker, of Cheapside, London and Pinner, Mdx., 4s. (2 d.v.p.) 2da.; (2) 1699, Jane. da. of Thomas Rolt of Milton Ernest, Beds., 1da. suc. uncle Josias Calmady I in Langdon estate 1683, fa. 1688.1
Offices Held
Commr. for assessment, Devon 1679-80, 1689-d., j.p. June 1688-?d., sheriff 1694-5; freeman, Plymouth 1696; lt.-col. of militia ft. Devon by 1697-d., dep. lt. 1701-d.2
Commr. for drowned lands 1690.3
Biography
Calmady’s father served on the assessment commissions in 1652 and 1657. Calmady himself, a lawyer, first stood for Parliament at a by-election in 1677 for Okehampton, six miles from his home, but he was defeated by Henry Northleigh by a sizeable margin. He was successful in both elections of 1679, when the returning officer was a kinsman, Benjamin Gayer. He was considered ‘honest’ by Shaftesbury, joined the Green Ribbon Club, and voted for exclusion, but he did not speak and was named to no committees. Despite the efforts of his colleague, (Sir) Arthur Harris, he was rejected by his constituency in 1681, but he became a Whig collaborator under James II. He was approved as court candidate for Okehampton in 1688, but is not known to have contested the borough again, though he stood unsuccessfully for Plymouth in 1698. He continued to sit on the Devon taxation commission throughout Queen Anne’s reign, his will being proved on 20 Nov. 1714. His son served for Saltash as a Tory from 1715 to 1722.4
