William Dowdeswell (Chancellor)

William Dowdeswell ( born March 12, 1721 Pull Court ( Bushley at Tewkesbury in Worcestershire ); † February 6, 1775 in Nice ) was a British politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Life and work

He was the son of William Dowdeswell senior ( 1682-1728 ). His father was married twice, first with Catherine Cokayne (1687/1688-1716), the daughter of Charles Cokayne, 3rd Viscount Cullen ( 1658-1688 ), the couple had a son and a daughter. His second wife and mother of William was Amy Hammond (1699-1754), the daughter of Anthony Hammond (1668-1738), a writer and politician from Somersham, Huntingdonshire, with her he had three more sons Richard ( † 1728), George († 1773) and Thomas († 1742).

He received his education first at Westminster School, then at Christ Church, Oxford, and finally at the University of Leiden.

In Leiden he made, inter alia, the acquaintance of Charles Townshend (1725-1767), John Wilkes and Paul Henri Thiry d' Holbach with which he in the summer of 1746 at the country estate of his uncle, Adam François d' Holbach (ca. 1675-1753 ), in Heeze, Kasteel Heeze te Heeze.

In 1747 he was in the constituency of Tewkesbury Member of the Parliament of Great Britain, Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury 1747-1754. He held this position until 1754 and then again from 1761 to hold his death. Then he was a member of Parliament in Worcestershire, Member of Parliament for Worcestershire 1761-1775.

The Rt Hon William Dowdeswell was Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Exchequer in the years 1765-1766 under the Marquess of Rockingham, though he was only a short time in office, he filled this position from successful and distinguished himself as a good financier. Politically he was a Whig.

Dowdeswell married on 15 November 1747 Bridget Codrington ( 1729-1818 ), a daughter of Sir William Codrington, 1st Baronet († 1738). The couple had fifteen children.