Family and Education

b. 71766, at Madras, o.s. of Sir Robert Palk, 1st Bt.  educ. Harrow 1776-80; Ch. Ch. Oxf. 1784; Grand Tour July 1785-Sept. 1786.  m. (1) 7 Aug. 1789, Lady Mary Bligh (d. 4 Mar. 1791), da. of John, 3rd Earl of Darnley [I], 1s.; (2) 15 May 1792, Lady Elizabeth Vaughan, da. of Wilmot, 1st Earl of Lisburne [I], 6s. 2da.  suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 29 Apr. 1798.

Offices Held

Biography

Palk was the godson of General Stringer Lawrence, who left him part of his fortune. Markedly shy as a young man, he was also ‘certainly inclined to be careless in business matters’.1 He visited Switzerland, Germany, and Holland in 1785-6, and soon after his return to England succeeded his father in the family seat at Ashburton. No vote or speech by him is known before 1790.  He died 20 June 1813.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: M. H. Port

Notes

• 1. HMC Palk, 395, 397.