Individual Details
Earl Robert Shirley
(28 Dec 1692 - 1714)
The History of Parliament
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/shirley-robert-1692-1714
SHIRLEY, Robert, Visct. Tamworth (1692-1714), of Staunton Harold, Leics.
Family and Education
b. 28 Dec. 1692, 1st s. of Hon. Robert Shirley (d.v.p.) of Staunton Harold (1st s. of Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers) by 2nd w. Anne (d. 1697), da. and h. of Sir Humphrey Ferrers of Tamworth Castle, Staffs. unm. suc. fa. 25 Feb. 1699; styled Visct. Tamworth from 1711.
Offices Held
Biography
Staunton Harold had been the Shirley family seat since the 15th century. On his mother’s death in 1697, Shirley inherited the estates of his maternal ancestors comprising Tamworth Castle and other Staffordshire lands valued in 1688 at £2,000 p.a. At the age of seven he found himself heir apparent to his grandfather, Lord Ferrers, who was for many years a principal servant of Catherine of Braganza, formerly as master of horse and latterly throughout her dowagerhood as steward of her household. When Lord Ferrers was advanced to an earldom in 1711, Shirley assumed the courtesy title of Viscount Tamworth.1
Tamworth naturally followed his grandfather’s Tory lead when, aged still only 20, he was put up as a county candidate in January 1713, after Geoffrey Palmer* announced his intention of standing down at the forthcoming election. He campaigned conscientiously in August, at one point anxiously observing to one of his supporters, Lord Guernsey (Hon. Heneage Finch I*), that there had been no canvassing on his behalf in the vicinity of Guernsey’s estate, politely supposing ‘that either your lordship’s letter to your steward miscarried, or that he misunderstood it’. As Sir George Beaumont, 4th Bt.*, later recalled, the threat of opposition from the Whigs persisted for some time until Tamworth, Sir Thomas Cave, 3rd Bt.*, and their well-wishers ‘ply’d’ them with cash and the prospect of a poll quickly faded.2
In the new Parliament Tamworth was listed as a Tory. On 22 June he was teller in favour of agreeing with a supply resolution to grant the Queen additional duties on exported coals and other commodities for 32 years. A fortnight later he was carried to the grave by smallpox, dying in the early hours of 5 July after a week’s illness. In a notice of his death he was described as a ‘gentleman of excellent parts and very much lamented by all who had the honour of knowing him’. The Tamworth estates devolved to his sister Elizabeth, who in 1716 married Lord Compton (James*), heir to the earldom of Northampton. The inscription on Tamworth’s tomb in the family chapel at Staunton Harold includes a classic plaint to the unfulfilled promise of youth:
In him religion with sweet temper join’d
Prudence of thought with fortitude of mind.
In duty strict, just to the ties of blood,
In friendship firm, to all benignly good.3
Ref Volumes: 1690-1715
Author: Andrew A. Hanham
Notes
1. Nichols, Leics. iii. 710, 715, 718–19.
2. Northants. RO, Isham mss IC 1746, Justinian to Sir Justinian Isham, 4th Bt.*, 20 Jan. 1713; BL, Verney mss mic. 636/55, Cave to Ld. Fermanagh (John Verney*), 26 Jan. 1713; Devonshire mss at Chatsworth House, Finch-Hatton pprs., Tamworth to Ld. Guernsey, 28 Aug. 1713; Leics. RO, Braye mss 23D57/2890, Beaumont to Cave, Oct. 1714.
3. Folger Shakespeare Lib. Newdigate newsletter 6 July 1714; Isham mss IC 1799, Vere to (Sir) Justinian Isham (5th Bt.*), 10 July 1714; Nichols, 720.
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From Wikipedia
Robert Shirley, Viscount Tamworth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Shirley, Viscount Tamworth (28 December 1692 – 5 July 1714) was an English nobleman and politician.
Robert Shirley was the eldest son of Hon. Robert Shirley (1673–1699) and his wife Anne Ferrers (d. 1698), born at Staunton Harold Hall.[1] He inherited Tamworth Castle and other estates in Staffordshire upon his mother's death, and became heir apparent to his grandfather, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, when his father died the following year. He was styled Viscount Tamworth after 1711, when his grandfather was created Earl Ferrers.[2]
When Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Member of Parliament for Leicestershire was forced by straitened finances to step down at the 1713 election, Tamworth was put forth by the Tories to replace him. At the time, the Tories held both Leicestershire seats; thorough canvassing on the part of Tamworth and some judicious payments quieted the Whig opposition, and Tamworth and the sitting member, Sir Thomas Cave, were returned without a poll. In the new Parliament, he was teller in favour of a supply bill on 22 June to grant Queen Anne 32 years of additional duties on various goods. Two weeks later, he was, like his father, stricken by smallpox and died on 5 July.[2] He was buried at Staunton Harold.[1] He left his estates, including Tamworth Castle, to his sister Elizabeth and his personal property to his aunt, Lady Barbara Shirley (d. 1768).[2]
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b Shirley, Evelyn Philip (1873). Stemmata Shirleiana. Westminster: Nichols and Sons. pp. 176–178, 180.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Shirley, Robert, Visct. Tamworth (1692-1714), of Staunton Harold, Leics". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1690-1715/member/shirley-robert-1692-1714
SHIRLEY, Robert, Visct. Tamworth (1692-1714), of Staunton Harold, Leics.
Family and Education
b. 28 Dec. 1692, 1st s. of Hon. Robert Shirley (d.v.p.) of Staunton Harold (1st s. of Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers) by 2nd w. Anne (d. 1697), da. and h. of Sir Humphrey Ferrers of Tamworth Castle, Staffs. unm. suc. fa. 25 Feb. 1699; styled Visct. Tamworth from 1711.
Offices Held
Biography
Staunton Harold had been the Shirley family seat since the 15th century. On his mother’s death in 1697, Shirley inherited the estates of his maternal ancestors comprising Tamworth Castle and other Staffordshire lands valued in 1688 at £2,000 p.a. At the age of seven he found himself heir apparent to his grandfather, Lord Ferrers, who was for many years a principal servant of Catherine of Braganza, formerly as master of horse and latterly throughout her dowagerhood as steward of her household. When Lord Ferrers was advanced to an earldom in 1711, Shirley assumed the courtesy title of Viscount Tamworth.1
Tamworth naturally followed his grandfather’s Tory lead when, aged still only 20, he was put up as a county candidate in January 1713, after Geoffrey Palmer* announced his intention of standing down at the forthcoming election. He campaigned conscientiously in August, at one point anxiously observing to one of his supporters, Lord Guernsey (Hon. Heneage Finch I*), that there had been no canvassing on his behalf in the vicinity of Guernsey’s estate, politely supposing ‘that either your lordship’s letter to your steward miscarried, or that he misunderstood it’. As Sir George Beaumont, 4th Bt.*, later recalled, the threat of opposition from the Whigs persisted for some time until Tamworth, Sir Thomas Cave, 3rd Bt.*, and their well-wishers ‘ply’d’ them with cash and the prospect of a poll quickly faded.2
In the new Parliament Tamworth was listed as a Tory. On 22 June he was teller in favour of agreeing with a supply resolution to grant the Queen additional duties on exported coals and other commodities for 32 years. A fortnight later he was carried to the grave by smallpox, dying in the early hours of 5 July after a week’s illness. In a notice of his death he was described as a ‘gentleman of excellent parts and very much lamented by all who had the honour of knowing him’. The Tamworth estates devolved to his sister Elizabeth, who in 1716 married Lord Compton (James*), heir to the earldom of Northampton. The inscription on Tamworth’s tomb in the family chapel at Staunton Harold includes a classic plaint to the unfulfilled promise of youth:
In him religion with sweet temper join’d
Prudence of thought with fortitude of mind.
In duty strict, just to the ties of blood,
In friendship firm, to all benignly good.3
Ref Volumes: 1690-1715
Author: Andrew A. Hanham
Notes
1. Nichols, Leics. iii. 710, 715, 718–19.
2. Northants. RO, Isham mss IC 1746, Justinian to Sir Justinian Isham, 4th Bt.*, 20 Jan. 1713; BL, Verney mss mic. 636/55, Cave to Ld. Fermanagh (John Verney*), 26 Jan. 1713; Devonshire mss at Chatsworth House, Finch-Hatton pprs., Tamworth to Ld. Guernsey, 28 Aug. 1713; Leics. RO, Braye mss 23D57/2890, Beaumont to Cave, Oct. 1714.
3. Folger Shakespeare Lib. Newdigate newsletter 6 July 1714; Isham mss IC 1799, Vere to (Sir) Justinian Isham (5th Bt.*), 10 July 1714; Nichols, 720.
*************
From Wikipedia
Robert Shirley, Viscount Tamworth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Shirley, Viscount Tamworth (28 December 1692 – 5 July 1714) was an English nobleman and politician.
Robert Shirley was the eldest son of Hon. Robert Shirley (1673–1699) and his wife Anne Ferrers (d. 1698), born at Staunton Harold Hall.[1] He inherited Tamworth Castle and other estates in Staffordshire upon his mother's death, and became heir apparent to his grandfather, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, when his father died the following year. He was styled Viscount Tamworth after 1711, when his grandfather was created Earl Ferrers.[2]
When Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Member of Parliament for Leicestershire was forced by straitened finances to step down at the 1713 election, Tamworth was put forth by the Tories to replace him. At the time, the Tories held both Leicestershire seats; thorough canvassing on the part of Tamworth and some judicious payments quieted the Whig opposition, and Tamworth and the sitting member, Sir Thomas Cave, were returned without a poll. In the new Parliament, he was teller in favour of a supply bill on 22 June to grant Queen Anne 32 years of additional duties on various goods. Two weeks later, he was, like his father, stricken by smallpox and died on 5 July.[2] He was buried at Staunton Harold.[1] He left his estates, including Tamworth Castle, to his sister Elizabeth and his personal property to his aunt, Lady Barbara Shirley (d. 1768).[2]
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b Shirley, Evelyn Philip (1873). Stemmata Shirleiana. Westminster: Nichols and Sons. pp. 176–178, 180.
^ Jump up to: a b c "Shirley, Robert, Visct. Tamworth (1692-1714), of Staunton Harold, Leics". History of Parliament Trust. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
Events
| Birth | 28 Dec 1692 | ||||
| Title (Nobility) | 1711 | 2nd Earl Ferrers | |||
| Death | 1714 |
Families
| Father | Robert Shirley (1673 - 1698) |
| Mother | Ann Ferrers ( - ) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Shirley (1694 - 1741) |
| Sibling | Ferrers Shirley (1696 - 1712) |
| Sibling | Thomas Shirley (1697 - 1708) |