BAYNTUN ROLT, Edward (1710-1800), of Spye Park, nr. Chippenham, Wilts.

Bayntun Rolt inherited through his mother a considerable interest at Chippenham.

In 1747 and 1754 he received £800 from secret service funds towards his election expenses; and in 1761, when no Government money was issued for elections, Bute arranged for him a pension of £300 p.a. on the duchy of Cornwall.Lord Egremont to Bute, 8 and 10 Mar. 1761, Bute mss. In Bute’s list he is classed as ‘Granville and Bute’, and he appears in Fox’s list of Members favourable to the peace preliminaries. Henceforth he supported every Administration, and under George III is not known ever to have voted with Opposition. Only four speeches by him are recorded: three in 1765Harris’s ‘Debates’, 21 Jan. 1765, and 14 and 20 Feb. 1765. and one in 1771,22 Apr. 1771, Cavendish’s ‘Debates’, Egerton 229, ff. 242-3. all on minor matters.

Robinson in his survey for the general election of 1780 expected Bayntun Rolt to stand again but on 30 July noted: ‘It is now said that there is some doubt whether Sir Edward Bayntun will come in.’ Bayntun Rolt did not stand, but there is evidence to suggest that he tried to maintain his interest by sponsoring his son-in-law.J. A. Cannon, ‘Parlty. Rep. Six Wilts. Boroughs, 1754-90’ (Bristol Univ. Ph.D. thesis). If so, it was the last effort he made in the borough; and before he died on 3 Jan. 1800 he had sold most of his property there.