Horatio Townshend, 1st Viscount Townshend

Horatio Townshend, 1st Viscount Townshend

Arms of Townshend: Azure, a chevron ermine between three escallops argent

Horatio Townshend, 1st Baron Townsend and 1st Viscount Townshend (/ˈtaʊnzənd/; 14 December 1630 – 10 December 1687), known as Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd baronet, of Raynham, from 1648 to 1661, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1656 and 1660 and was raised to the peerage in 1661.

Early life

Townshend was the younger son of Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet, of Raynham, and his wife Mary Vere, daughter of Horace Vere, 1st Baron Vere of Tilbury. He was a student at St John's College, Cambridge, in 1644 and travelled abroad in Italy and Switzerland from 1646 to 1648. In 1648 he succeeded his elder brother in the baronetcy.

Political career

He was elected member of parliament for Norfolk in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament and in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament.^[1]

Townshend was elected MP for Norfolk again in 1660 for the Convention Parliament.^[1] He was a supporter of King Charles II and played an important role in the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. In 1661 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, and was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk between 1660^[2] and 1676. In 1682 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk.

Marriage and family

Townshend married Mary Ashe, daughter of a fellow Member of Parliament, Sir Joseph Ashe. Lord Townshend died in December 1687, aged 56, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Charles, who became a prominent statesman. Other descendants of Townshend include Horatio Townshend, George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, Charles Townshend and Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney.

Notes

1. History of Parliament Online – Townshend, Sir Horatio
2. An address from the gentry of Norfolk and Norwich to General Monck in 1660

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, ^{[page needed]}

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir John Hobart Sir William D'Oyly Sir Ralph Hare, Bt Thomas Weld Robert Wilton Thomas Sotherton Philip Wodehouse Robert Wood (senior) Philip Bedingfield (senior) Tobias Frere	Member of Parliament for Norfolk 1656 – May 1659 With: Sir John Hobart Charles Fleetwood Sir William D'Oyly Sir Ralph Hare, Bt Colonel Robert Wilton Philip Wodehouse Colonel Robert Wood John Buxton Thomas Sotherton	Vacant Not represented in the restored Rump
Vacant Not represented in the restored Rump Title last held by Self Sir William D'Oyly	Member of Parliament for Norfolk 1660–1661 With: The Lord Cramond	Succeeded by The Lord Cramond Sir Ralph Hare, Bt
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl of Southampton	Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk 1661–1676	Succeeded by The Viscount Yarmouth
Vacant Title last held by Edwin Rich (parliamentary)	Vice-Admiral of Norfolk 1663–1676
Peerage of England
New creation	Viscount Townshend 1662–1687	Succeeded by Charles Townshend
	Baron Townshend 1661–1667
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Roger Townshend	Baronet (of Raynham) 1648–1687	Succeeded by Charles Townshend