biography text
Since the early sixteenth century Dawnay’s family had been settled at Cowick, 12 miles east of Pontefract, which his father and he successively represented in every Parliament from 1661 to 1695. After succeeding to the title he was returned as a Tory for Yorkshire, voting regularly against the Government after 1715. His name was sent to the Pretender in 1721 as a probable supporter in the event of a rising.1Stuart mss 65/16. He did not stand in 1727, sold his burgages in Pontefract to John Monckton, 1st Viscount Galway [I], in 1729, and died in May (buried 21 May) 1741.