RUSHOUT, Sir James, 2nd Bt. (?1676-1705), of Northwick Park, Worcs. and Maylords, Essex

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Feb. 1701 - 1702

Family and Education

b. ?1676, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Sir James Rushout, 1st Bt.*, and bro. of Sir John Rushout, 4th Bt.*  m. 12 Feb. 1700, Arabella (d. 15 Oct. 1705), da. of Sir Thomas Vernon*, sis. of Sir Charles† and Thomas Vernon*, 1s.  suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 16 Feb. 1698.1

Offices Held

Gamekeeper, Blockley Wood 1702–d.2

Biography

Rushout succeeded his father to the family baronetcy, but not to the parliamentary seat at Evesham, at least not immediately. Judging from the codicil his father added to his will in February 1698 there was a good deal of mistrust between them. The codicil disinherited Rushout if he had already married without his father’s consent, or married someone worth under £5,000. Such a marriage would be to the ‘damage and disparagement of himself and family’. Furthermore, until he married suitably he was not to receive the rents from his inheritance. Faced with this considerable financial pressure, immediate succession to his father at Evesham was out of the question. Lord Somers (Sir John*) informed Shrewsbury that Rushout’s name had been linked with a county seat in May 1698, but added, ‘I am utterly a stranger to the latter, having never once seen him’. He eventually gained control of his inheritance through his marriage in February 1700 into a wealthy mercantile family. After that date all the attributes of his status fell quickly into place: a parliamentary seat, appointment to the lieutenancy and nomination to, and subsequent escape from, the shrievalty. His period of service in the House was brief, and there is no record of his involvement in any activity of significance. After his defeat he petitioned the Commons on 19 Dec. 1702 on behalf of his infant nephew, Samuel Sandys†, against the Stower and Salwerp navigation bill, a project which was defeated by its opponents. Rushout died on 11 Dec. 1705 and was succeeded by his only son, Sir James Rushout, 3rd Bt.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Author: Stuart Handley

Notes

  • 1. Vis. Eng. and Wales Notes ed. Crisp, xii. 182–5; Worcs. Arch. Soc. n.s. xvii. 24; Mdx. Par. Reg. iii. 117.
  • 2. Evans Diary (Worcs. Hist. Soc.), 77.
  • 3. PCC 84 Lort; Shrewsbury Corresp. 538; CSP Dom. 1700–2, p. 271; 1702–3, p. 526.