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Stephens Lyne-Stephens (4 October 1801 – 28 February 1860) was an English 
Lyne-Stephens was returned as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in 1830. His father had paid over £5000 for his election which was in support of political reform. On 15 November 1830, Stephens was one of a group of right wing Tories who voted against the government and ended the rule of the 
In 1837 Stephens married French ballerina Yolande Duvernay. He bought Lynford Hall near 
His death in 1860 set off a frenzy of fortune hunters, who went so far as to tamper with their family trees in order to bolster their claims to the estate. The fortune had been amassed by William Stephens of Amazon.co.uk: Glass: The Strange History of the Lyne Stephens Fortune: Jenifer Roberts: Books
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Tory
A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. Th ...
politician who represented Barnstaple
Barnstaple ( or ) is a river-port town in North Devon, England, at the River Taw's lowest crossing point before the Bristol Channel. From the 14th century, it was licensed to export wool and won great wealth. Later it imported Irish wool, bu ...
before the 1832 Reform Act
The Representation of the People Act 1832 (also known as the 1832 Reform Act, Great Reform Act or First Reform Act) was an Act of Parliament of the United Kingdom (indexed as 2 & 3 Will. IV c. 45) that introduced major changes to the electo ...
. After inheriting a family fortune from glass manufacture in Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, he was later reputed to be the richest commoner in England.
Lyne-Stephens was returned as Member of Parliament for Barnstaple in 1830. His father had paid over £5000 for his election which was in support of political reform. On 15 November 1830, Stephens was one of a group of right wing Tories who voted against the government and ended the rule of the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...
. Following the political excitement that led to the 1831 Reform Election, Stephens decided not to defend his seat. He concentrated his activities on hunting and shooting. In 1832 he was invited to stand for Liskeard
Liskeard ( ; kw, Lyskerrys) is a small ancient stannary and market town in south-east Cornwall, South West England. It is situated approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of Plymouth, west of the Devon border, and 12 miles (20 km) eas ...
but withdrew his name at the last minute. He moved to Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray () is a town in Leicestershire, England, north-east of Leicester, and south-east of Nottingham. It lies on the River Eye, known below Melton as the Wreake. The town had a population 27,670 in 2019. The town is sometimes promo ...
which he considered excellent hunting and riding country.
In 1837 Stephens married French ballerina Yolande Duvernay. He bought Lynford Hall near Thetford
Thetford is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District of Norfolk, England. It is on the A11 road between Norwich and London, just east of Thetford Forest. The civil parish, covering an area of , in 2015 had a population of 24,340 ...
in 1856, intending to develop its with mansion house, parkland and lake as a hunting retreat, and commissioned the architect William Burn
William Burn (20 December 1789 – 15 February 1870) was a Scottish architect. He received major commissions from the age of 20 until his death at 81. He built in many styles and was a pioneer of the Scottish Baronial Revival,often referred t ...
to refurbish it. He was High Sheriff of Norfolk
The high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown and is appointed annually (in March) by the Crown. The High Sheriff of Norfolk was originally the principal law enforcement officer in Norfolk and presided at the assizes and other imp ...
in 1858.
His death in 1860 set off a frenzy of fortune hunters, who went so far as to tamper with their family trees in order to bolster their claims to the estate. The fortune had been amassed by William Stephens of Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, an illegitimate child born in 1731. He started a glass factory in Portugal with his brother and members of the related Lyne family. Stephens had influential political connections in Portugal, exempting his business from taxes./ref>
Notes
References
* Jenefer Roberts ''Glass:The Strange History of the Lyne Stephens Fortune'' Templeton Press 2003External links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lyne-Stephens, Stephens 1801 births 1860 deaths UK MPs 1830–1831 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Barnstaple High Sheriffs of Norfolk