Sir Henry Dashwood, 3rd Baronet

Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood, 3rd Baronet (30 August 1745 – 10 June 1828) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1775 and 1795.

Early life
View of Kirtlington Park by Susan Dashwood 1900

Dashwood was the eldest surviving son of Sir James Dashwood, 2nd Baronet of Kirtlington Park, Oxfordshire and his wife Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Edward Spencer of Rendlesham, Suffolk. He matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1763 and undertook a Grand Tour in 1768. He was extremely extravagant and in 1775 his father had to pay off his debts amounting to £25,000.[1][2]

Political career

In 1774 Dashwood contested Wigtown Burghs on the interest of his brother-in-law John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway. With each candidate receiving only two of the four votes, Dashwood's opponent was initially declared the winner, but on petition the result was reversed and Dashwood was returned as Member of Parliament. He voted in support of Lord North in the 1770s. In 1779, Dashwood succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father on 10 November. He married Helen Mary Graham, daughter of John Graham of Kinross on 17 July 1780. Helen's uncles were MP's William and Robert Mayne and in 1780 he decided to stand at Canterbury which had been a Mayne seat.[1]

Dashwood was unsuccessful at Canterbury and equally unsuccessful in obtaining a lucrative government office. In 1783 he was appointed Gentleman of the Privy Chamber an honorary appointment. After he came into his inheritance Dashwood sold most of the family estate to pay further debts.[1]

Dashwood was a friend of the Duke of Marlborough and was returned unopposed on the Duke's interest at the pocket borough of Woodstock at the 1784 He was returned unopposed at each election until 1820.[2]

Dashwood tried to persuade William Pitt the Younger to give him a peerage several times in 1794, as he was a loyal supporter of the government. Unhappily for Dashwood no preferment was forthcoming.[2]

Later life and legacy
Portrait of the children of Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood, 3rd Baronet (1745–1828), by Sir William Beechey

Dashwood died on 10 June 1828. He and his wife had four sons and two daughters, including:[1]

References
  1. "DASHWOOD, Henry Watkin (1745–1828), of Kirtlington Park, Oxon". History of Parliament Online (1754–1790). Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. "Dashwood, Sir Henry Watkin, 3rd Bt. (1745–1828), of Kirtlington Park, Oxon., History of Parliament Online (1790–1820)". Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  3. "Loftus, John, Visct. Loftus (1770–1845), of Loftus Hall, co. Wexford., History of Parliament". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 206.

JJHC Family History page for Sir Henry Watkin Dashwood

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