Sir Roger Gresley, 8th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Roger Gresley, 8th Baronet (27 December 1799 – 12 October 1837) was an English author and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1835 to 1837.
Gresley was the son of Sir Nigel Bowyer Gresley, 7th Baronet and his second wife Maria-Eliza Garway, daughter of Caleb Garway, of Worcester. He succeeded to the baronetcy
on the death of his father on 26 March 1808. He entered Christ Church, Oxford
on 17 October 1817, where he remained until 1819, leaving the university without a degree. Gresley was a well known London dandy
and is said to have gambled away much of his fortune, having to sell most of his assets to remain solvent. In 1827 he sold Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal
which his grandfather had built in connection with his mining interests.
In 1826 Gresley stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Lichfield
and instead served as High Sheriff for Derbyshire. He stood at Durham in 1830 and was elected but unseated. He was equally unsuccessful at New Romney
in 1831, although he made a couple of speeches in parliament. Eventually he won a seat at South Derbyshire
in 1835 which he lost at the election of July 1837.
Gresley was groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Sussex
, captain of the Staffordshire Yeomanry
cavalry, and an Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He was also an author who usually wrote his name Greisley.
Gresley died at the age of 37, and was buried on 28 October at Church Gresley
, Derbyshire.
Gresley married Lady Sophia Catherine Coventry, daughter of George William Coventry, 7th Earl of Coventry and Peggy Pitches, on 2 June 1821. The marriage was commemorated in a poem by a friend John Taylor. They had no surviving children and the baronetcy passed to a kinsman Sir William Gresley. His widow remarried to Sir Henry des Voeux, Baronet
and vicar of Stapenhill-cum-Caldwell. She died at 39 Berkeley Square, London, in 1875 and was buried with her second husband in the churchyard at Caldwell.
Gresley was the son of Sir Nigel Bowyer Gresley, 7th Baronet and his second wife Maria-Eliza Garway, daughter of Caleb Garway, of Worcester. He succeeded to the baronetcy
Gresley Baronets
The Baronetcy of Gresley of Drakelow was created in the Baronetage of England on 29 June 1611 for George Gresley of Drakelow Hall, Derbyshire who was later High Sheriff of Derbyshire and Member of Parliament for Newcastle under Lyme .The Gresleys were an ancient Norman family, descended from Nigel...
on the death of his father on 26 March 1808. He entered Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
on 17 October 1817, where he remained until 1819, leaving the university without a degree. Gresley was a well known London dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
and is said to have gambled away much of his fortune, having to sell most of his assets to remain solvent. In 1827 he sold Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal
Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal
Sir Nigel Gresley's Canal was a private canal between Apedale and Newcastle-under-Lyme both in Staffordshire, England. It was used to transport coal from Sir Nigel Gresley's mines. It opened in 1776 after being approved by Act of Parliament in 1775. The act placed controls on the price at which...
which his grandfather had built in connection with his mining interests.
In 1826 Gresley stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Lichfield
Lichfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
and instead served as High Sheriff for Derbyshire. He stood at Durham in 1830 and was elected but unseated. He was equally unsuccessful at New Romney
New Romney (UK Parliament constituency)
New Romney was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1371 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in 1831, although he made a couple of speeches in parliament. Eventually he won a seat at South Derbyshire
South Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
-Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:"-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1940s:-References:...
in 1835 which he lost at the election of July 1837.
Gresley was groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Sussex
Duke of Sussex
Duke of Sussex was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was conferred on 27 November 1801 upon The Prince Augustus Frederick, the sixth son of George III, who was created Duke of Sussex, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Arklow, all in the Peerage of the United Kingdom...
, captain of the Staffordshire Yeomanry
Staffordshire Yeomanry
The Staffordshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army.Raised in 1794 following Prime Minister William Pitt's order to raise volunteer bodies of men to defend Great Britain from foreign invasion, the Staffordshire Yeomanry began as volunteer cavalry regiment. It first served overseas at the...
cavalry, and an Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. He was also an author who usually wrote his name Greisley.
Gresley died at the age of 37, and was buried on 28 October at Church Gresley
Church Gresley
Church Gresley is a village and former civil parish in the South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England. The village is very close to the town of Swadlincote, between the town and Castle Gresley. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,805.The toponym "Gresley" is derived...
, Derbyshire.
Gresley married Lady Sophia Catherine Coventry, daughter of George William Coventry, 7th Earl of Coventry and Peggy Pitches, on 2 June 1821. The marriage was commemorated in a poem by a friend John Taylor. They had no surviving children and the baronetcy passed to a kinsman Sir William Gresley. His widow remarried to Sir Henry des Voeux, Baronet
Des Voeux Baronets
The Des Voeux Baronetcy, of Indiaville in the Queen's County, was a title in the Baronetage of Ireland. It was created on 1 September 1787 for Charles Des Voeux, who had gained great wealth in India and who later represented Carlow Borough and Carlingford in the Irish House of Commons. He was the...
and vicar of Stapenhill-cum-Caldwell. She died at 39 Berkeley Square, London, in 1875 and was buried with her second husband in the churchyard at Caldwell.
Publications
- A Letter to the Right Hon. Robert Peel on Catholic Emancipation. To which is added an account of the apparition of a cross at Migné on the 17th. December, 1826, translated from the Italian, London, 1827, 8vo.
- A Letter to … John, Earl of Shrewsbury, in reply to his reasons for not taking the Test, London, 1828, 8vo.
- Sir Philip Gasteneys; a Minor, London, 1829, 12mo.
- The Life and Pontificate of Gregory the Seventh, London, 1832, 8vo