Lord James Townshend

For people with a similar name, see James Townsend (disambiguation).

Lord

James Townshend

KCH
Born11 September 1785
Died28 June 1842
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Navy
Years of servicec.1806–1842
RankCaptain
CommandsHMS Halifax
HMS Aeolus
Battles / wars
AwardsKnight Commander of the Royal Guelphic Order
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Wallis

Captain Lord James Nugent Boyle Bernardo Townshend KCH (11 September 1785 – 28 June 1842), was a British naval commander and Tory politician.

Townshend was the younger son of George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, by his second wife Anne, daughter of Sir William Montgomery, 1st Baronet. He was the nephew of Charles Townshend and the half-brother of George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend, Lord John Townshend and Lord Charles Townshend.[1] On 21 September 1822, he was appointed major-commandant of the Norfolk Yeomanry Rangers, in place of his brother Lord Charles.[2]

Townshend was a captain in the Royal Navy.[1] He was also appointed a captain in the Norfolk Rangers of Yeomanry Cavalry on 18 April 1831.[3][4] In 1818 he was returned to parliament as one of two representative for Helston, a constituency mainly controlled by his brother-in-law, the Duke of Leeds. He lost his seat in 1832 when the representation was reduced to one member, but was once again elected in 1835. This time he held the seat until 1837.[5]

Townshend married Elizabeth, daughter of Provo Featherstone Wallis and sister of Provo Wallis, on 13 June 1813. He died in June 1842, aged 56.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Burke, John. A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. Volume II, p. 550. London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street, 1832.
  2. ^ "No. 17861". The London Gazette. 15 October 1822. p. 1682.
  3. ^ "No. 18799". The London Gazette. 29 April 1831. p. 820.
  4. ^ Records of the Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry, to which is added the fencible and provisional Cavalry of the same county from 1780 to 1908 ... Jarrold. 1908. pp. 217–218.
  5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "H" (part 2)