Constituency Dates
Great Yarmouth 1715 – 1722
Heytesbury 1727 – 34
Family and Education
b. c. 1683, 3rd s. of Horatio Townshend, M.P., 1st Visct. Townshend, by his 2nd w. Mary, da. of Sir Joseph Ashe, 1st Bt., M.P., of Twickenham, Mdx.; bro. of Charles, 2nd Visct. Townshend. educ. Eton 1692-8. m. by 1720, Alice, da. of John Starkie of Huntroyde, Lancs., 1s. 3da.
Offices Held

Director, South Sea Co. 1715 – 18, Bank of England 1722–32 (with statutory intervals), dep. gov. 1732–3, gov. 1733 – 35, director 1735 – 36; commr. of excise 1735 – d.

Address
Main residence: New Ormond St., London.
biography text

As the brother of the 2nd Lord Townshend, Horatio Townshend, a wealthy London merchant, played a part in Norfolk politics under Anne.1Plumb, Walpole, i. 102-3, 164. Returned in 1715 on the Walpole-Townshend interest as a Whig for Great Yarmouth, he was replaced there by his nephew, Charles, later 3rd Visct. Townshend in 1722, but brought in again in 1727 for Heytesbury by his kinsman Edward Ashe, supporting the Administration in all recorded divisions, except on the peerage bill in 1719, which he opposed. He did not stand in 1734 but in December 1735 was given a lucrative place which he held till his death, 4 Oct. 1751.

Author
R.S.L.
Volume
Commons 1715-1754
Notes
  • 1. Plumb, Walpole, i. 102-3, 164.