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WALKER HENEAGE, John (1730-1806), of Lyneham and Compton Bassett, Wilts.
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
b. 17 May 1730, s. of John Walker of Lyneham, Wilts. by Dionysia, da. of James Colebrooke of Chilham Castle, Kent, and sis. of Robert, James, and George Colebrooke. m. 15 Oct. 1763, Arabella, da. of Jonathan Cope of Overton, Hants, s.p. suc. fa. 27 Apr. 1758; purchased estate of Compton Bassett from William Northey for £4,000.1 At the request of his cos. Elizabeth Heneage (whose heir he was) assumed name of Heneage 8 Mar. 1777.
Offices Held
Hereditary usher to the court of Exchequer.
Biography
Heneage was prominent in society, and a heavy gambler. George Selwyn wrote to Lord Carlisle, 6 Mar. 1782:2‘Your kinsman [Heneage’s mother-in-law was Carlisle’s half-sister] is a cul de plomb at the table, and has lost, I believe, both his eyes and his fortune at it. He seems so blind as not to see the card which is before him.’
At the general election of 1784 he stood for Cricklade, in partnership with Robert Nicholas, as a ‘declared friend’ of Pitt. They were defeated on the poll but seated on petition. He voted with Pitt over parliamentary reform, 18 Apr. 1785, and on Richmond’s fortifications plan, 27 Feb. 1786; but on 1 May 1788 signed the circular calling on country gentlemen to gather into a third force independent both of Pitt and Fox, and during the Regency crisis voted with the Opposition.
Heneage died 26 Feb. 1806.