VANSITTART, Arthur (1775-1829), of Shottesbrook, Berks.

Vansittart, a ‘plain, thin man’,1Warrenne Blake, Irish Beauty, 86.owed his return for Windsor at the contested by-election of February 1804 to the royal influence and to his possession of extensive local property. He was reported to have voted with the combined opposition to Addington on the army of reserve suspension bill, 25 Apr. 1804,2Malmesbury mss, FitzHarris to Malmesbury, 26 Apr. 1804. and was counted a supporter of Pitt in the government lists of September 1804 and July 1805. His inclusion in the list of the majority who voted for the Grenville ministry’s repeal of Pitt’s Additional Force Act, 30 Apr. 1806, must be regarded with suspicion, for Nicholas Vansittart would seem far more likely to have cast such a vote. He regarded the dissolution of 1806 as a ‘wicked’ measure, which inclined him not to seek re-election for Windsor, but he eventually stood as joint court candidate. His heart was clearly not in the contest forced by the independent party, which was expected to subject him to great expense; and, although he was reasonably well placed after the first day’s poll, he withdrew, ostensibly because of the unexpected defection of several of his supporters.3Add. 34457, f. 85; HMC Fortescue, viii. 396; Windsor Pollbook (1806), 6. He died 31 May 1829.