Constituency Dates
Newark 19 May 1814 – 1818
New Romney 1820 – 1830
Family and Education
b. 20 Feb. 1764, 2nd surv. s. of Henry Dawkins of Standlynch, Wilts., and bro. of Henry Dawkins and James Dawkins. m. (1) 25 June 1807, Hon. Sophia Maria Maude (d. 23 June 1812), da. of Cornwallis, 1st Visct. Hawarden [I], 2da.; (2) 4 May 1814, Elizabeth da. of Hon. William Henry Bouverie, s.p. suc. to estates of cos. Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn [I] and took additional name of Pennant 2 Apr. 1808.
Offices Held

Sheriff, Caern. 1819–20.

Lt. Wilts. supp. militia 1797, capt. 1803, maj. 1804.

Address
Main residence: Penrhyn Castle, Caern.
biography text

Dawkins (as he then was) failed in his first bid to get into Parliament in 1790, when he stood for Southampton, his father’s old seat. It was 24 years later that he came in for Newark on the interest of the 4th Duke of Newcastle, into whose family his brother Henry had married. All his known votes were with government, the first being on 31 May 1815. After supporting the army estimates and property tax, 6, 8, 18 Mar. 1816, he took leave of absence from 22 Mar. until 15 Apr. He was in the majority on the civil list, 6 May, opposed Catholic relief, 21 May 1816 and 9 May 1817, supported the suspension of habeas corpus, 23 June 1817, and was in the ministerial minority on the ducal marriage grant, 15 Apr. 1818. He was on a government dinner list that session. He did not seek re-election in 1818.

Best known for his development of the Penrhyn estates, he died immensely wealthy, 17 Dec. 1840.1Add. 38366, f. 135; Gent. Mag. (1841), i. 318.

Author
P.A.S.
Volume
Commons 1790-1820
Notes
  • 1. Add. 38366, f. 135; Gent. Mag. (1841), i. 318.