Constituency Dates
Bedford 1695 – 1698, 1701 (Dec.) – 1702, 1705 – 1713, 1715 – 1727
Family and Education
b. ?1656, s. of Thomas Farrer of Harrold, Beds. and Aylesbury, Bucks. by Helen, 1st da. of Sir William Boteler of Biddenham and Harrold, Beds. educ. I. Temple 1667, called 1677; Trinity, Oxf. 16 Feb. 1672, aged 15. m. (1) 2 Mar. 1680, Mary da. and coh. of William Boteler of Biddenham 1s. 3da.; (2) Elizabeth, s.p. suc. fa. 1703.
Offices Held

Dep. recorder, Bedford; K.C. 1699; commr. for army debts 1700 – 05; chairman of committees of supply and ways and means 1708 – 10, 1715 – 27; clerk of the pipe 1710 – 11; master of St. Katherine’s Hospital by the Tower 1715–27.

Address
Main residence: Biddenham, Beds.
biography text

The Farrers, a legal family of the Inner Temple, acquired Harrold in 1556, intermarrying with the Botelers of Biddenham, an ancient Bedfordshire family.1VCH Beds. iii. 37, 66; VCH Bucks. iv. 325. William Farrer, after representing Bedford as a Whig on the Russell interest under William III and Anne, was again returned at contested elections in 1715 and 1722, voting with the Administration in all recorded divisions. Throughout this period he acted as chairman of supply and ways and means, except for a short time when, having been taken very ill in the chair of the supply committee, he was replaced temporarily by Sir Charles Turner,2Knatchbull Diary, 2 Dec. 1724. who succeeded him when he retired from Parliament in 1727. He died 12 Apr. 1737.

Author
R.S.L.
Volume
Commons 1715-1754
Notes
  • 1. VCH Beds. iii. 37, 66; VCH Bucks. iv. 325.
  • 2. Knatchbull Diary, 2 Dec. 1724.