CUST, Sir Brownlow, 4th Bt. (1744-1807), of Belton, Lincs.

On coming of age Brownlow Cust took up the freedom of Grantham, and on 8 Jan. 1766 entertained the corporation and freemen at a big dinner, arranged by his uncles and attended by Lord Granby and Lord George Sutton.Ibid. iii. 249-56. This for the more distant future; but helping to find a seat for Brownlow before he succeeded to Grantham, Egmont, who had estates and connexions in Somerset, wrote to John Cust on 7 Aug. 1765:Ibid. iii. 245. ‘I have spoken to Lockyer upon the subject we discoursed upon lately coming from Turnham Green, and I believe he will talk with you upon that business as soon as you come to town.’ This is the beginning of the Custs’ connexion with Ilchester, a borough managed by Thomas Lockyer. Brownlow Cust wrote to his father from Ilchester, 16 Mar. 1768:Ibid. iii. 279.

It is impossible that you even amongst our most valuable friends at Grantham can have today a more unanimous election than I have had here. There was scarce one of the opposite party to be seen and no interruption given to the poll: one man desired to vote for somebody else, but soon withdrew his vote, and gave us no opposition: insomuch that Mr. Leigh and I were in our chairs at half past eight. We were to give ’em a short harangue of thanks from the market cross, I concluded mine with a compliment to Mr. Lockyer.

In the House Brownlow regularly voted with the Government, his only vote against them being over Grenville’s Election Act, 25 Feb. 1774; and this was treated by North as an exceptional deviation by a friend. There is no record of his having spoken in the House.

On being created a peer, Brownlow wrote to his grandmother, Anne Lady Cust, 18 May 1776, about the family being now ‘possessed of that very fruit of my dear father’s labours which was the great object of them’.Ibid. ii. 301.

He died 25 Dec. 1807.