FINCH, Hon. William (1691-1766), of Charlewood, Herts.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

31 Jan. 1727 - 1747
11 Dec. 1747 - 1754
5 Feb. 1755 - 1761

Family and Education

b. 18 Jan. 1691, 2nd surv. s. of Daniel, 2nd Earl of Nottingham and 7th Earl of Winchilsea, and bro. of Hon. Henry Finch and Hon. Edward Finch. educ. Ch. Ch. Oxf. 4 Mar. 1707, aged 16. m. (1) 25 Jan. 1733, Lady Anne Douglas (d. 26 Oct. 1741), da. of James, 2nd Duke of Queensberry [S], s.p.; (2) 9 Aug. 1746, Lady Charlotte Fermor, da. of Thomas, 1st Earl of Pomfret, 1s. 4da.

Offices Held

Envoy to Sweden 1720-4; envoy to Holland 1724-8 and minister 1733-4; P.C. 13 July 1742; vice-chamberlain 1742-65.

Biography

In 1754 Newcastle suggested that Finch should contest Taunton on the interest of Lord Egremont, nephew and co-heir of Algernon, 7th Duke of Somerset; but Finch, wrote Newcastle to Egremont, was ‘afraid of the expense’.1 He was eventually returned for Bewdley on the Lyttelton interest. In 1761 he did not stand.

In July 1765, now ‘grown by age something between mad and foolish’,2 he was removed from his post and given a pension.3

He died 25 Dec. 1766.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. 18 July 1754, Add. 32736, ff. 49-50.
  • 2. Mrs. Montagu to Mrs. Vesey, 19 Nov. 1765, Blunt, Mrs. Montagu, 132.
  • 3. Walpole to Mann, 12 July 1765.