Family and Education

b. ?1728, o. surv. s. of Sir Robert Rous, 4th Bt., by Lydia, da. and coh. of John Smith of Holton, Suff.  educ. Trinity, Camb. 30 Oct. 1744, aged 16.  m. 5 June 1749, Judith, da. and coh. of John Bedingfield of Beeston, Norf., 1s. 3da.  suc. fa. 8 June 1735.

Offices Held

Biography

Rous’s grand-father represented Suffolk 1689-90. Rous intended to stand at the general election of 1761, but he agreed to withdraw on a compromise which should have secured for him an unopposed election, at the latest in 1768. Nevertheless a contest was only avoided after Rowland Holt had failed to secure sufficient support at the county meeting on 6 Nov. 1767. In the House four votes by Rous are recorded, all on the Opposition side: 15 Apr., 8 May 1769 and 25 Jan. 1770, on the Middlesex election; and on 13 Feb. 1771 on the Spanish convention. Apparently he never spoke.  He died 31 Oct. 1771.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: Sir Lewis Namier

Notes