NORTHMORE, William (1690-1735), of Northmore House, Okehampton and Cleve, nr. Exeter, Devon.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1713 - 1722
1727 - 17 Mar. 1735

Family and Education

bap. 1 July 1690, o.s. of William Northmore of Throwleigh, nr. Okehampton, by Anne, da. of Rev. Thomas Hutton of St. Kew, Cornw., sometime rector of Northlew, nr. Okehampton. m. (1) settlement 25 Aug. 1711, his cos. Anne (bur. 7 Mar. 1717), da. and h. of Thomas Northmore, attorney, of Cleve, M.P. Okehampton 1695-8, s.p.; (2) May 1720, Florence (bur. 1 Jan. 1726), da. of Sir Arthur Chichester, 3rd Bt., of Raleigh, Devon, s.p.; (3) 11 Sept. 1734, Elizabeth, da. of William Oxenham of Oxenham, Devon, s.p. suc. uncle 1713; fa. 1716.

Offices Held

Biography

The Northmores, an old Devonshire family, settled at Welle, near South Tawton, since 1332, acquired Throwleigh and a large estate at Okehampton in the seventeenth century, subsequently holding civic office in the borough and building Northmore House, the present town hall, in 1685.1 In 1713 William Northmore inherited Cleve from his uncle Thomas Northmore, who held many of the Monck estates in mortgage, in his will ordering their sale for the benefit of his nephew and his wife.2 In the same year he was returned as a Tory on his own interest for Okehampton. Re-elected in 1715, he voted against the Government in all recorded divisions. In 1721 his name was sent to the Pretender as a probable supporter in the event of a rising.3 He did not stand in 1722 but resumed his seat in 1727, voting with the Opposition against the Hessians in 1730 and the excise bill in 1733. He died 17 Mar. 1735.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Shirley Matthews

Notes

  • 1. C. Worthy, Devonshire Wills, 335-8; Lysons, Devon, ii. 371-2; W. G. Hoskins, Devon, 447.
  • 2. PCC 122 Aston.
  • 3. Stuart mss 65/16.