ROBINSON, William (c.1654-1736), of Newby, Yorks.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1698
Feb. 1701
Dec. 1701
1702
1705
1708
1710
1713
1715

Family and Education

b. c.1654, 1st s. of Thomas Robinson, merchant, of York by Elizabeth, da. of Charles Tancred of Arden. educ. St. John’s, Camb. adm. 6 Feb. 1671, aged 16; G. Inn 1674. m. 8 Sept. 1679, Mary, da. of George Aislabie of Studley Royal, 5s. 1da. suc. fa. 1676, uncle Sir Metcalfe Robinson 1689; cr. Bt. 13 Feb. 1690.1

Offices Held

Capt. of militia horse, Yorks. Dec. 1688-?d., sheriff Mar.-Nov. 1689; commr. for assessment, Yorks. (N. Riding) 1689-90, York 1690; j.p. (N. Riding) by 1690-d.; alderman, York 1698-1718, mayor 1700-1; dep. lt. (N. and W. Ridings) by 1700-d., York 1701-?d.2

Biography

Robinson was one of the Yorkshire militia officers associated with Danby’s rising during the Revolution, and was returned for Northallerton on his own interest in the following month. Shortly afterwards he succeeded to the Newby estate, and was appointed sheriff of Yorkshire, presumably with his full consent, by the new regime. He returned to Westminster shortly before the expiry of his term of office, but he never became an active Member of the Convention. He was appointed only to the committees for the prevention of abuses in parliamentary elections, the reversal of Walcot’s attainder, and the maintenance of the children of Sidney Wortley Montagu. Though doubtless a Whig, he was not listed as a supporter of the disabling clause in the bill to restore corporations. He remained a court Whig for the remainder of his long parliamentary career until he retired in 1722. He died on 22 Dec. 1736 and was buried at Topcliffe. His younger son Thomas sat for Thirsk as a Whig from 1727 to 1734, and was later raised to the peerage as Lord Grantham.

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: P. A. Bolton

Notes

  • 1. Clay, Dugdale’s Vis. Yorks. ii. 363-4.
  • 2. Browning, Danby, i. 403; Eg. 1626, f. 53; Add. 29674, f. 161.