OWEN, Wirriot (c.1681-1713), of Nash, Pemb.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1705 - 1710

Family and Education

b. c.1681, 7th but 2nd surv. s. of Sir Hugh Owen, 2nd Bt.*, by his 1st w.; bro. of Arthur Owen II*.  educ. G. Inn 1697.  m. Dorothy Cosens (d. 1703) of Robeston, Pemb., wid., 1da.1

Offices Held

Gent. privy chamber Jan. 1710–d.2

Biography

Owen, who took his elder brother’s place as family candidate for Pembrokeshire in 1705 and 1708, was classed as a ‘Churchman’ in a list of the 1705 Parliament but was certainly no supporter of the ‘Church party’ in the House where, like his brother, he showed his colours as a staunch Whig. He voted for the Court candidate in the division on the Speaker, 25 Oct. 1705, and for the Court over the ‘place clause’ in the regency bill on 18 Feb. 1706; and on 2 Mar. following told for the bill to regulate the governments of the American colonies, a party cause, apparently, in which he was on the Whig side. On 9 Jan. 1707 Owen complained that the arrest, earlier in the month, of his steward amounted to a breach of privilege, and on 1 Mar. the Commons voted it such. Listed twice as a Whig in 1708, he voted for the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709, and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. On 18 Jan. 1710 he told against declaring Lewis Pryse* duly elected for Cardiganshire. The following September Owen informed Robert Harley* that he had ‘no thoughts of standing for Pembrokeshire’, but expressed the hope that a place would be found for him ‘among any of the many . . . regulations expected’. Harley rebuffed this request, and in June 1711 a similar letter met with no greater success. Owen died in 1713, and was buried at Monkton, Pembrokeshire. He was succeeded by his younger brother Charles.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: D. W. Hayton

Notes

  • 1. J. E. Griffith, Peds. Anglesey and Caern. Fams. 58, 83; J. R. Phillips, Owens of Orielton, 46–48.
  • 2. N. Carlisle, Gent. Privy Chamber, 214; R.O. Bucholz, Augustan Court, 263.
  • 3. Info. from Cdr C. H. H. Owen, RN; Phillips, 49, 87; Add. 70203, Owen to Harley, 24 Sept. 1710; 70278, Owen to [?Oxford], 4 June 1711.