Constituency Dates
Penryn 15 Mar. 1714 – 22
Family and Education
bap. 6 Oct. 1676, 2nd s. of Francis Trefusis of Trefusis by Bridget, da. of Robert Rolle of Heanton Satchville, Devon. educ. St. Edmund Hall, Oxf. 1695. m. (1) 13 Dec. 1702, Alice, da. and h. of Sir Robert Cotton, M.P., 1s. 1da.; (2) 9 July 1719, Margaret, da. of James Craggs, postmaster gen., sis. of James Craggs, s.p. suc. e. bro. Francis Trefusis 1692.
Address
Main residence: Trefusis, nr. Penryn, Cornw.
biography text

Trefusis, a member of one of the oldest Cornish families, had been responsible for building a large portion of Flushing, the port serving Penryn, where he was returned unopposed on his own interest in 1715. Classed as a Whig who would often vote with the Tories, he supported the septennial bill in 1716 but was absent from other recorded divisions. On 30 Apr. 1721, in the course of a debate on the motion that his father-in-law’s estate should be forfeited he said

that neither he nor Mr. Newsham were at all prepared, not expecting that this affair would have come on this day ... and therefore he desired the House would give them time to get their witnesses,

adding that

he had never been used to speak in the House, or but very rarely ... which he hoped the House would take into consideration and allow them counsel to speak for them: that by Mr. Craggs’s death, his estate was devolved to them and Mr. Eliot [Edward], in right of their wives, the deceased’s three daughters: that there was no manner of crime laid to their charge, and since Mr. Craggs was dead, and could not answer for himself, he hoped the House would allow them time and counsel.

Despite Walpole’s intervention in his favour, a motion for allowing counsel was dropped, and it was resolved that all estates acquired by Craggs after December 1719 should be confiscated.1Chandler, vi. 243-4. He did not stand in 1722 and died 4 Apr. 1724.

Author
E.C.
Volume
Commons 1715-1754
Notes
  • 1. Chandler, vi. 243-4.