Family and Education

b. 17 May 1730, s. of John Walker of Lyneham by Dionysia, da. of James Colebrooke of Chilham Castle, Kent. m. 15 Oct. 1763, Arabella, da. of Jonathan Cope of Overton, Hants, s.p. legit. suc. fa. 1758 and purchased estate of Compton Bassett from William Northey^† for £4,000; cos. Elizabeth Heneage and took surname of Heneage by royal lic. 8 Mar. 1777.

Offices Held

Hered. usher to ct. of Exchequer; hered. mareschal, proclamator and barrier to ct. of c.p. 1756-d.

Biography

Walker Heneage owed his seat to the extension of the borough of Cricklade to the neighbouring hundreds, in which he was a respectable landowner acceptable to the local freeholders. He was supported, in the contest of 1790, by the county Members, on condition of a pledge of independence and integrity. After voting with opposition in 1789, he apparently reverted to Pitt for the rest of his parliamentary career. He was listed ‘doubtful’ on the Test Act repeal question in April 1791. His name was deleted from a list of Portland Whigs drawn up in December 1792. No speech is known. He retired in 1794 after his health had deteriorated and died 26 Feb. 1806. On 23 July 1799 he had written to Pitt asking for compensation for the termination with him of the hereditary ushership to the court of Exchequer, in his family since Queen Elizabeth’s time. Pitt had no objection to this ‘provided his right and the value of it has been ascertained’.

PRO 30/8/144, ff. 92, 94; PCC 219 Pitt.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes