Family and Education

bap. 16 Aug. 1760, 1st s. of Arthur Annesley of Bletchington by Elizabeth, da. of Charles Baldwyn^† of Aqualate Hall, Staffs. educ. Christ Church, Oxf. 27 May 1779, aged 18. m. 12 Feb. 1785, Catherine, da. and h. of Adm. Sir Charles Hardy^†, 5s. 5da. suc. fa. 1773.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Oxon 1784-5.

Biography

Annesley stepped into the vacancy made by the death of the 4th Earl of Abingdon’s brother soon after his election for Oxford in 1790. Abingdon then washed his hands of Oxford, but Annesley’s connexion with him made him an acceptable candidate to the corporation. Refusing to spend money, he met with a feeble and opportunist opposition. He supported Pitt’s administration silently in his only Parliament. In April 1791 he was listed hostile to the repeal of the Test Act in Scotland. On 24 Nov. 1795 he was a defaulter. He was defeated in the election of 1796 by the lavish Henry Peters: perhaps therefore he was the disgruntled instigator of the candidature of John Ingram Lockhart, who forced Peters out in 1802.1 He certainly opposed the Duke of Marlborough’s interest at Woodstock in 1806. He was defeated, and nothing came of a threat that he would stand there again in 1807.2 He remained out of Parliament and died 20 Jan. 1841, aged 80.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Authors: Arthur Aspinall / R. G. Thorne

Notes

• 1. A Coll. of Handbills, Addresses and Songs ... relative to the Election (Oxford, 1802), 35.
• 2. See NEW WOODSTOCK.