Family and Education

b. 1705, s. of Owen Meyrick, M.P., by Anne, da. of Piers Lloyd of Lligwy, Anglesey.  educ. Westminster 1721-4; Trinity Hall, Camb. 1724.  m. 1745, Hester, da. of John Putland of London, 3s. 2da.  suc. fa. 8 Apr. 1759.

Offices Held

Biography

Owen Meyrick had meant to stand for the county in 1747 but, out-manoeuvred in the preliminary negotiations, withdrew. He renewed his candidature before the next general election, issuing a circular letter in March 1753; obtained an introduction from William Bodvell to Henry Pelham, who assured him of Government support; and also wrote to Newcastle, May 1753, asking him to secure the interest of the bishop of Bangor:1

Being but little known to your Grace, I beg leave ... to assure you that I am and always have been a most steady Whig in principle, and most zealously attached to the present constitution.

This the Duke obtained for him: but on 30 Oct. 1753, William Morris, a supporter of Meyrick, wrote to his brother Richard:2

It looks as if Plas Newydd is going to win. Bayly has a following of a dozen squires; were it not for the Bishop, there would not be a chance for Bodorgan.

Bayly won easily; but a scandal concerning his private life deprived him of supporters at the 1761 general election, while the Bulkeleys had no member of their family to put up for the county. Meyrick won easily, and retained the seat in 1768.

In the House he made no mark. In November 1762 he was still classed as ‘pro’ by Newcastle, but also by Bute and Fox—with better reason: he did not vote against the peace preliminaries. He was listed as favourable to Government by Jenkinson in the autumn of 1763, and as absent by Newcastle c. 6 Feb. 1763;3 but is not in the list of absent Members over general warrants, 18 Feb. In July 1765 Rockingham classed him as ‘doubtful’; in another list ‘pro’ is subsequently added. His name appears in only one division list during his ten years in Parliament: Newcastle placed him among the ‘King’s friends’ voting with Government over the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767. There is no evidence of his having ever spoken in the House; and he is hardly ever mentioned in any correspondence outside a narrow circle in his own county.

He died in March 1770.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Peter D.G. Thomas

Notes

• 1. Add. 32731, f. 410.
• 2. Letters of Lewis, Richard, William, and John Morris, of Anglesey, 1728-65, (ed. Davies), i. 259, 290.
• 3. Add. 33000, f. 333.