Alexander Pendarves

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Alexander Pendarves
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Penryn
In office
1689–1698
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Penryn
In office
1699–1705
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Saltash
In office
January 1701 – March 1701
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Saltash
In office
1708–1710
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Penryn
In office
1710–1714
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Helston
In office
1714–1715
Member of the United Kingdom Parliament
for Launceston
In office
1721–1725
Personal details
Born 1662
Died 13 March 1726
London, England
Nationality  Great Britain
Political party Tory
Spouse(s) Lady Dorothy Bourke
Mary Granville Delany
Occupation Politician

Alexander Pendarves, MP (baptised 11 November 1662 – 13 March 1726, London, England)[1] was an English politician of the Tory party,[1] and a wealthy landowner.

Early life

Pendarves, of Roscrow, Cornwall, England was the son of John Pendarves and Bridget, daughter of Sir Alexander Carew, 2nd Baronet of Antony, Cornwall.[2] He had two brothers, Rev. John Pendarves (born 1682), Rector of Drewsteignton,[3] and William (died 1693).[4]

He graduated from Exeter College, Oxford in 1682 and was called to Bar of Gray's Inn in the same year.[5]

Career

Pendarves was a wealthy landowner. He served as Director of Land-Bank in 1696,[5] Stannator for Tywarnhaile in 1703,[5] Commissioner of Prizes from September 1703 to July 1705,[5] Commissioner for Sewers for the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in 1712,[5] and Surveyor General of the Land Revenues of the Crown from January 1714 to January 1715.[5]

However, Pendarves was most notable as a Member of Parliament, serving four different constituencies over the course of his career. In 1689, 1699, and 1710, he was an MP for Penryn. In 1701 and 1708, he was an MP for Saltash. In 1714, he was an MP for Helston. Lastly, in 1721, he was an MP for Launceston.[3][5] In 1711, he was listed as member of the October Club,[1] an organization of Tory MPs active at this time. The group made resolutions calling for inquiries into suspected financial abuses and was "a major threat to the Harley administration".[6]

Personal life

He first married Lady Dorothy Bourke, daughter of Richard Burke, 8th Earl of Clanricarde.

He married secondly Mary (1700–1788), daughter of Bernard Granville (died 1723). Her uncle, Bernard's brother, was George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne. Mary was introduced to Pendarves while visiting Lord Lansdowne in December 1717. Shortly thereafter, in February 1718, at the age of 17, she married Pendarves, age 60, a marriage brought on by her parents' financial dependence on Lord Lansdowne, and Lord Lansdowne's hope to have political influence through the nuptials. Lord Lansdowne was of the mindset that should Mary outlive her spouse, the estate she would inherit would repay her for years of misery.[3] Two months after the wedding, the couple left for Roscrow Castle. There, Pendarves suffered from gout and it worsened. In 1721, the two moved to London where Pendarves began to drink excessively while his wife reunited with many of her old friends. Pendarves died suddenly in his sleep in 1726. Upon his death, Roscrow Castle passed to Pendarves' niece, Mary, daughter of Rev. John Pendarves.[7] As Pendarves had not changed his will to accommodate his wife Mary, she was left a poor widow. In later years, however, the Bluestocking artist and writer became notable for her "paper-mosaicks".

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Hayton (2002), pp. 126
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Hayton (2002), p. 126
  6. H. T. Dickinson, Bolingbroke (London: Constable, 1970), p. 80.
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Parliament of England
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Penryn
1689 – 1698
With: Anthony Rowe 1689–90
Samuel Rolle 1690
Sidney Godolphin 1690–95
James Vernon from 1695
Succeeded by
James Vernon
Samuel Trefusis
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Saltash
January – March 1701
With: James Buller
Succeeded by
James Buller
Thomas Carew
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Saltash
1708 – 1710
With: James Buller May – December 1708
Sir Cholmeley Dering, Bt 1708–10
Jonathan Elford from 1710
Succeeded by
Jonathan Elford
Sir William Carew, Bt
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Penryn
1710 – 1714
With: Samuel Trefusis
Succeeded by
Samuel Trefusis
James Vernon
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Helston
1714 – 1715
With: Thomas Tonkin
Succeeded by
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, Bt
Sidney Godolphin
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Launceston
1721 – 1725
With: John Anstis to 1722
John Freind 1722–24
John Willes from 1724
Succeeded by
John Willes
John Freind