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ST. PAUL, Horace David Cholwell (1775-1840), of Ewart Park, Belford, Northumb. and Willingsworth Hall, Staffs.
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Biography Detail
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Family and Education
b. Paris 6 Jan. 1775, 1st s. of Horace St. Paul of Ewart Park, Northumb., and bro. of Henry Heneage St. Paul*. educ. Houghton le Spring; Eton 1783-6. m. 14 May 1803, Anna Maria, ‘da.’ and h. of John Ward†, 2nd Visct. Dudley and Ward, 1s. 5da. suc. fa. 1812 as Count of the Empire, title recogn. in this country by grant of the Regent, 7 Sept. 1812; cr. Bt. 17 Nov. 1813.
Offices Held
Ensign, 1 Ft. 1793, lt. 1794; cornet, 1 Drag. Gds. Mar. 1794, lt. July 1794, capt. 1798; maj. 5 Ft. 1802, lt. col. 1810, col. (half pay) 1819.
Biography
St. Paul’s father, a Northumbrian gentleman driven into exile after killing a man in a duel, was a soldier of fortune in the Seven Years’ war, who returned to England with an Austrian title and a royal pardon, subsequently distinguishing himself in diplomacy, before retiring to his ancestral home. Horace, his eldest son, like his two brothers, entered the army, and served in the Toulon and Flanders expeditions (1793-5), but apparently saw no further active service.1 He lived the life of a sporting country gentleman and was one of the Prince of Wales’s set.
Soon after succeeding his father, he was returned to Westminster after a contest for Bridport. George Rose commented that St. Paul and his brother, who came in for Berwick, would ‘probably be friendly at least for a time. They are disposed to attach themselves to the Duke of Northumberland.’2 St. Paul was listed a Treasury supporter. The Prince Regent, who had confirmed for him his father’s Austrian title, made him a baronet in 1813. He invariably opposed Catholic relief; supported Christian missions to India (1813) and, except on the property tax, 18 Mar. 1816, supported ministers when present. On 6 Mar. 1815 he urged the landed interest not to press for alteration in the Corn Laws. His only known votes in the Parliament of 1818 were with ministers against Tierney’s censure motion of 18 May 1819 and for the foreign enlistment bill, 10 June. He was defeated in 1820 but seated on petition, and continued in the same line for the next ten years. He died 10 Oct. 1840.
