BURRELL, William (1732-96), of Deepdene, nr. Dorking, Surr. and West Grinstead Park, Suss.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1768 - May 1774

Family and Education

b. 10 Oct. 1732, 3rd s. of Peter Burrell I. educ. Westminster 1743-9; St. John’s, Camb. 1749; Doctors’ Commons 1760. m. 13 Apr. 1773, Sophia, da. and coh. of Charles Raymond, banker, of Valentine House, Ilford, Essex, 5s. 2da. suc. fa.-in-law as 2nd Bt. 24 Aug. 1788.

Offices Held

Director, South Sea Co. 1763-75, Sun Fire Insurance 1773-95; chancellor, diocese of Rochester 1771- d., of Worcester 1774- d.; commr. of the Excise 14 May 1774-90.

Biography

Burrell was a distinguished advocate and a notable antiquary. He practised chiefly in the Admiralty courts, and his manuscript reports of cases decided in them, 1766-74, were published in 1885. His collections for the history of Sussex1 are in the British Museum, Add. 5670-5711. William Cole, the antiquary, described him as ‘an active, stirring man; a good antiquary’. ‘He is rather low, and squints a little; but very ingenious, and scholar-like.’2

Returned at Haslemere on the family interest, and jointly with Thomas More Molyneux, after a contest, Burrell steadily supported Administration in the House: he is not known to have ever voted against them, but was absent from the divisions on the naval captains, 9 Feb. 1773, and on Grenville’s Act, 25 Feb. 1774. Twenty-one interventions in debate during this Parliament are attributed in Cavendish to ‘Dr. Burrell’. He vacated his seat by accepting the commissionership of the Excise.

He died 20 Jan. 1796.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Sir Lewis Namier

Notes

  • 1. See DNB.
  • 2. Quoted Nichols, Literary Anecs. ix. 797.