Sir Edward Bayntun-Rolt, 1st Baronet (1710–1800) was a British landowner and Whig politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

for 43 years from 1737 to 1780. His election in 1741 was instrumental in the downfall of Sir Robert Walpole's premiership.

Early life

Bayntun-Rolt was the second son of

Edward Rolt Edward Rolt (c. 1686–1722) of Sacombe Park, Hertfordshire, Harrowby Hall, Lincolnshire and Spye Park, near Chippenham, Wiltshire, was a British landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1713 to 1722. Rolt was the onl ...

of Sacombe, Hertfordshire and his wife Anne Bayntun, daughter of Henry Bayntun of

Spye Park Spye Park is a former country estate in Bromham parish in Wiltshire, England. It lies north of Chittoe, about north-west of Bromham village and east of Lacock. The historic house which stood there, near the Roman road from London to Bath, h ...

. Following the death of his uncle John Bayntun, he succeeded to the Bayntun properties at Spye Park and elsewhere in 1717, and took the additional name of Bayntun.

Political career

Bayntun-Rolt's estate brought him a major interest in the parliamentary seat at

Chippenham Chippenham is a market town A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village ...

. He was returned as an opposition Whig

Member 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 ...

at a by-election on 22 June 1737. At the 1741 general election he was re-elected with Sir Edmond Thomas, another opposition candidate, after a contest against two government candidates. The two defeated government candidates petitioned and the outcome became a trial of strength between

Sir Robert Walpole Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, (26 August 1676 – 18 March 1745; known between 1725 and 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole) was a British statesman and Whig politician who, as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Leader ...

and his opponents. On 31 January 1742 the petition was rejected by 16 votes. This event led to Walpole's resignation after 20 years as Prime Minister. Bayntun-Rolt was appointed a groom of the bedchamber to Frederick, Prince of Wales in 1745 but was dismissed in March 1746. At the 1747 general election he was given a secret service grant of £800 towards his expenses. After the Prince of Wales's death in 1751, he was made surveyor general to the

Duchy of Cornwall The Duchy of Cornwall ( kw, Duketh Kernow) is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch obtains possession of the duchy and the title of 'Duke of Cornwall' at ...

at £466 a year and held the post for forty-five years. Bayntun-Rolt was again given a secret service grant at the 1754 general election and in

1761 Events January–March * January 14 – Third Battle of Panipat: Ahmad Shah Durrani and his coalition decisively defeat the Maratha Confederacy, and restore the Mughal Empire to Shah Alam II. * January 16 – Siege of Pondi ...

, although the Government granted no money for elections, the Earl of Bute arranged a pension of £300 on the Duchy of Cornwall for him. He was created

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

on 7 July 1762. He was returned again as MP for Chippenham in

1768 Events January–March * January 9 – Philip Astley stages the first modern circus, with acrobats on galloping horses, in London. * February 11 – Samuel Adams's circular letter is issued by the Massachusetts House of Rep ...

and 1774. He did not stand in the 1780 general election.

Family life and legacy

Bayntun-Rolt married Mary Poynter (1718-99) of Herriard, Hampshire before 1743, and again 15 January 1750 at Parish Church, Shoreham, Kent,

Family History Library The Family History Library (FHL) is a genealogical research facility in downtown Salt Lake City. The library is open to the public free of charge and is operated by FamilySearch, the genealogical arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

: Edward Bayntun=Mary Poynter, 15 Jan 1750, Parish Church, Shoreham,Kent,England, FHL Film Number:992535 with issue: *

Andrew Bayntun-Rolt Sir Andrew Bayntun-Rolt, 2nd Baronet (1755–1816), of Spye Park, Bromham, Wiltshire, was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1780 to 1786. Baynton-Rolt was the only surviving son and heir of Sir Edward Bayntun-Rolt, 1s ...

(1755-1816), 2nd and last Baronet *Elizabeth Bayntun-Rolt (1758-98), who married Henry Stone Mary died 26 March 1799 at Spye Park. Bayntun-Rolt died on 3 January 1800. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son

Andrew Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in List of countries where English is an official language, English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is freq ...

. A memorial exists in St Nicholas' Church, Bromham,

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...

Ancestors

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayntun Rolt, Sir Edward, 1st Baronet 1710 births 1800 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 British MPs 1761–1768 British MPs 1768–1774 British MPs 1774–1780 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies People from Hertfordshire (before 1965) Nobility from Wiltshire Burials in Wiltshire