Joseph Townsend (1704–1763) of Honington, Warwickshire was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1740 and 1754.

Family

Townsend was born in 1704, the first son (but not heir) of brewer Joseph Townsend (d. 1728) of Winchester Street,

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, by his first wife, Mary Shipsey. His father left him only an annuity of £200 but on the death of his younger half-brother, Thomas Beacon Townsend (d. 1737), he was enabled to marry and buy

Honington Hall Honington Hall is a privately owned 17th century country house at Honington, near Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire. It has Grade I listed building status. The Manor of Honington was in the ownership of the Priory of Coventry until the Dissolu ...

. On 11 October 1737, he married Judith, daughter of John Gore (d. 1763), British MP for Great Grimsby of Bush Hill, Middlesex.

Career

Townsend was elected as one of the two

members of parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for Wallingford on 22 December 1740. In 1741 he became one of the members for Westbury (a seat later held by his cousin

Chauncy Townsend Chauncy Townsend (23 February 1708 – 28 March 1770) was a City of London merchant and a Member of Parliament in the Parliament of Great Britain. He was prominent in developing coalmines in the Swansea area of Wales and in supplying settler nee ...

). In 1747 he was again returned from the Wallingford constituency, serving until 1754. He died on 8 July 1763.

References

1704 births 1763 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies People from Warwickshire British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 {{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub