Lord Robert Seymour
Encyclopedia
Lord Robert Seymour was a British politician, the third son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
. He was known as Hon. Robert Seymour-Conway until 1793, when his father was created a marquess
; he then became Lord Robert Seymour-Conway, but dropped the surname of Conway after his father's death in 1794.
Educated at Eton
, he was commissioned an ensign
in the 40th Regiment of Foot in 1766, and became a lieutenant
in the 2nd Regiment of Irish Horse
the same year. In 1770, he became a captain in the 8th Dragoons.
Seymour-Conway was returned for two Parliamentary seats in 1771: Lisburn
, in the Parliament of Ireland
, and the family borough of Orford
in the British House of Commons
. In 1773, he became a major
in the 3rd Irish Horse.
By his first marriage, on 15 June 1773 to Anne Delmé, daughter of MP Peter Delmé, Seymour-Conway had five children:
Seymour-Conway transferred into the 1st Foot Guards as a Captain-Lieutenant on 7 November 1775, and became captain of a company in the regiment on 30 January 1776. He gave up his seat at Lisburn that year, but continued to sit for Orford. He served as an aide-de-camp
to Sir Henry Clinton in America from 1780 to 1781, but resigned his commission in 1782.
In Parliament, Seymour-Conway followed the rest of his family in supporting the North Ministry
and the Fox-North Coalition
, and opposing the ministry of Shelburne
. In 1784, he turned over the Orford seat to his younger brother George, having purchased a seat at Wootton Bassett
from Henry St John, who managed it. In 1787, he bought the estate of Taliaris in Llandeilo
, Carmarthenshire
, which would become his principal seat.
He left his Commons seat in 1790, the year that he and his brother Henry
were granted, for life, the sinecures of joint prothonotary
, clerk of the crown, filazer, and keeper of the declarations of the King's Bench in Ireland
. By 1816, these offices brought an income of more than £10,000 a year.
He returned to Parliament for Orford in 1794, and continued to hold the seat until 1807. He took some interest in agriculture, as in 1796, he invented a new one-horse cart. On 2 December 1803, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, Carmarthenshire Volunteers. He resigned that command on 6 January 1808.
After the death of his wife Anne, Seymour made a second marriage, on 2 May 1806, to Hon. Anderlechtia Clarissa Chetwynd (d. 1855), daughter of William Chetwynd, 4th Viscount Chetwynd, but they had no children.
During the 1807 election
, Seymour was returned both for Orford and Carmarthenshire
, choosing to sit for the latter, which he represented until 1820. On July 1, 1807, Seymour, who owned a house in Portland Place
, was sworn a Justice of the Peace
for Middlesex
. He took an active role in civic affairs in London, and was for some time Director of the Poor for his parish of St Marylebone. This included a particular interest in the care and treatment of the insane, culminating in his appointment in 1827 to the commission superintending the building of Hanwell Asylum
and as a Metropolitan Commissioner in Lunacy in 1828. However, he was now approaching the end of his life and played little active role as a Lunatic Commissioner. In 1829, Seymour funded the building of the north transept and a vicarage for Taliaris Chapel.
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford KG, PC, PC was a British courtier and politician.He was born in Chelsea, London the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Lord Conway and Charlotte Shorter and died in Surrey, England...
. He was known as Hon. Robert Seymour-Conway until 1793, when his father was created a marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
; he then became Lord Robert Seymour-Conway, but dropped the surname of Conway after his father's death in 1794.
Educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, he was commissioned an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 40th Regiment of Foot in 1766, and became a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 2nd Regiment of Irish Horse
5th Dragoon Guards
The 5th Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1922....
the same year. In 1770, he became a captain in the 8th Dragoons.
Seymour-Conway was returned for two Parliamentary seats in 1771: Lisburn
Lisburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Lisburn was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:...
, in the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
, and the family borough of Orford
Orford (UK Parliament constituency)
Orford was a constituency of the House of Commons. Consisting of the town of Orford in Suffolk, it elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote version of the first past the post system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1832.-History:...
in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. In 1773, he became a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the 3rd Irish Horse.
By his first marriage, on 15 June 1773 to Anne Delmé, daughter of MP Peter Delmé, Seymour-Conway had five children:
- Elizabeth Seymour (1775 – 23 February 1848), married first William Griffith Davies (1762–1814), on 10 December 1805, married second Herbert Evans (d. 1843) on 2 May 1817
- Henry Seymour (c.1776 – 13 February 1843), married Hon. Emily Byng (d. 1824), daughter of George Byng, 4th Viscount TorringtonGeorge Byng, 4th Viscount TorringtonGeorge Byng was the 4th Viscount Torrington, son of George Byng, 3rd Viscount Torrington and Elizabeth Daniel.He gained the title 4th Viscount Torrington at the death of his father in 1750....
, on 1 July 1800 - Frances Isabella Seymour (d. 3 June 1838), married George FitzRoy, 2nd Baron Southampton
- Anna Maria Seymour (22 September 1781 – ?)
- Gertrude Hussey Carpenter Seymour (28 July 1784 – 3 January 1825), married John Hensleigh Allen on 12 November 1812
Seymour-Conway transferred into the 1st Foot Guards as a Captain-Lieutenant on 7 November 1775, and became captain of a company in the regiment on 30 January 1776. He gave up his seat at Lisburn that year, but continued to sit for Orford. He served as an aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Sir Henry Clinton in America from 1780 to 1781, but resigned his commission in 1782.
In Parliament, Seymour-Conway followed the rest of his family in supporting the North Ministry
North Ministry
The North Ministry governed the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1770 until 1782. Overseeing in this time the Falklands Crisis, the Gordon Riots and much of the American War of Independence. It was headed by the Tory politician Lord North and served under George III.-Membership:...
and the Fox-North Coalition
Fox-North Coalition
The Fox-North Coalition was a government in Great Britain that held office during 1783. As the name suggests, the ministry was a coalition of the groups supporting Charles James Fox and Lord North...
, and opposing the ministry of Shelburne
Shelburne Ministry
This is a list of the principal holders of government office during the premiership of William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne, July 1782 to April 1783....
. In 1784, he turned over the Orford seat to his younger brother George, having purchased a seat at Wootton Bassett
Wootton Bassett (UK Parliament constituency)
Wootton Bassett was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1447 until 1832, when the rotten borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from Henry St John, who managed it. In 1787, he bought the estate of Taliaris in Llandeilo
Llandeilo
Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, which would become his principal seat.
He left his Commons seat in 1790, the year that he and his brother Henry
Lord Henry Seymour-Conway
Lord Henry Seymour was a British politician, the second son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 1st Marquess of Hertford. He was known as Hon...
were granted, for life, the sinecures of joint prothonotary
Prothonotary
The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. prothonotarius , from Greek protonotarios "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the Byzantine Empire, from Greek protos "first" + Latin notarius ; the -h-...
, clerk of the crown, filazer, and keeper of the declarations of the King's Bench in Ireland
Court of King's Bench (Ireland)
The Court of King's Bench was one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror of the Court of King's Bench in England....
. By 1816, these offices brought an income of more than £10,000 a year.
He returned to Parliament for Orford in 1794, and continued to hold the seat until 1807. He took some interest in agriculture, as in 1796, he invented a new one-horse cart. On 2 December 1803, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, Carmarthenshire Volunteers. He resigned that command on 6 January 1808.
After the death of his wife Anne, Seymour made a second marriage, on 2 May 1806, to Hon. Anderlechtia Clarissa Chetwynd (d. 1855), daughter of William Chetwynd, 4th Viscount Chetwynd, but they had no children.
During the 1807 election
United Kingdom general election, 1807
The election to the 4th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1807 was the third general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland....
, Seymour was returned both for Orford and Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Carmarthenshire was a parliamentary constituency in Wales which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until its representation was increased to two members for the 1832 general election....
, choosing to sit for the latter, which he represented until 1820. On July 1, 1807, Seymour, who owned a house in Portland Place
Portland Place
Portland Place is a street in the Marylebone district of central London, England.-History and topography:The street was laid out by the brothers Robert and James Adam for the Duke of Portland in the late 18th century and originally ran north from the gardens of a detached mansion called Foley House...
, was sworn a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He took an active role in civic affairs in London, and was for some time Director of the Poor for his parish of St Marylebone. This included a particular interest in the care and treatment of the insane, culminating in his appointment in 1827 to the commission superintending the building of Hanwell Asylum
Hanwell Asylum
The County Asylum at Hanwell, also known as Hanwell Insane Asylum, and Hanwell Pauper and Lunatic Asylum, was built for the pauper insane and is now the West London Mental Health Trust ...
and as a Metropolitan Commissioner in Lunacy in 1828. However, he was now approaching the end of his life and played little active role as a Lunatic Commissioner. In 1829, Seymour funded the building of the north transept and a vicarage for Taliaris Chapel.