William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham
Encyclopedia
William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham KC (7 July 1719 – 9 May 1781) was a British
lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas between 1771 and 1780.
de Grey was the third son of Thomas de Grey, MP, of Merton, Norfolk
, and Elizabeth, daughter of William Windham. The de Grey family had been settled in Norfolk
since the 14th century. He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
, was called to the Bar, Middle Temple
, in 1742, and became a King's Counsel in 1758. Between 1761 and 1763 he was Solicitor General to Queen Charlotte
.
de Grey entered Parliament for Newport, Cornwall
, in 1761, a seat he held until 1770, and then represented Cambridge University
from 1770 to 1771, and held office under George Grenville
and Lord Rockingham
as Solicitor-General
between 1763 and 1766 and under William Pitt the Elder, the Duke of Grafton
and Lord North as Attorney-General
between 1766 and 1771. In 1771 de Grey was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, a post he held until 1780, when he was forced to resign due to ill health. He had been knighted in 1766 and on his retirement in 1780 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Walsingham, of Walsingham in the County of Norfolk.
Lord Walsingham married Mary, daughter of William Cowper, in 1743. They had one son and a daughter. He died in May 1781, aged 61, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son Thomas
. Lady Walsingham died in 1800.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas between 1771 and 1780.
de Grey was the third son of Thomas de Grey, MP, of Merton, Norfolk
Merton, Norfolk
Merton is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 113 in 50 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland...
, and Elizabeth, daughter of William Windham. The de Grey family had been settled in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
since the 14th century. He was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Trinity Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. It is the fifth-oldest college of the university, having been founded in 1350 by William Bateman, Bishop of Norwich.- Foundation :...
, was called to the Bar, Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, in 1742, and became a King's Counsel in 1758. Between 1761 and 1763 he was Solicitor General to Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
.
de Grey entered Parliament for Newport, Cornwall
Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport was a rotten borough situated in Cornwall. It is now within the town of Launceston, which was itself also a parliamentary borough at the same period...
, in 1761, a seat he held until 1770, and then represented Cambridge University
Cambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems:...
from 1770 to 1771, and held office under George Grenville
George Grenville
George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
and Lord Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
as Solicitor-General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
between 1763 and 1766 and under William Pitt the Elder, the Duke of Grafton
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC , styled Earl of Euston between 1747 and 1757, was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era...
and Lord North as Attorney-General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
between 1766 and 1771. In 1771 de Grey was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, a post he held until 1780, when he was forced to resign due to ill health. He had been knighted in 1766 and on his retirement in 1780 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Walsingham, of Walsingham in the County of Norfolk.
Lord Walsingham married Mary, daughter of William Cowper, in 1743. They had one son and a daughter. He died in May 1781, aged 61, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son Thomas
Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham
Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham PC , was a British peer and politician. He served as Joint Postmaster General between 1787 and 1794 and was for many years Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords.-Background:...
. Lady Walsingham died in 1800.