Richard Vaughan MP (c. 1655–October 1724) of Derwydd, Carmarthenshire was a Welsh lawyer and Whig politician who sat in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and British House of Commons for nearly 40 years from 1685 to 1724. Vaughan was the eldest son of John Vaughan of Court Derllys and his wife Rachel Vaughan, daughter of Sir Henry Vaughan of Derwydd, Carmarthenshire. He matriculated at

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship S ...

23 May 1672, aged 16. He was admitted at

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and W ...

in 1673, was called to the bar in 1680 and made a

bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher ca ...

in 1706. He succeeded his uncle Sir Henry Vaughan, to Derwydd Mansion, near Llandybie in 1676. Vaughan was appointed Recorder of Carmarthenshire for 1683-86 and 1688-1722 and a circuit judge on the Carmarthenshire circuit on 1715, serving as such until his death. Vaughan was elected

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 o ...

for

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...

for 1685–87 and 1689 to his death in 1724. His monument in

Parish Church was sculpted by William Palmer.Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1851 by Rupert Gunnis p.288 He is now reckoned to have been Father of the House from 1718 to his death, although it is not clear that he was regarded as such at the time. He married, in 1692, Arabella, the daughter of

Sir Erasmus Philipps, 3rd Baronet Sir Erasmus Philipps, 3rd Baronet (c 1623 – 18 January 1697) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654 and 1659. Philipps was the eldest son of Sir Richard Philipps, 2nd Baronet of Picton Castle. He succeeded to the b ...

, M.P., of

Picton Castle Picton Castle ( cy, Castell Pictwn) is a medieval castle near Haverfordwest in the community of Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Originally built at the end of the 13th century by a Flemish knight, it later came into the ha ...

, Pembrokeshire. They had no children and his estate passed to his niece, the wife of John Vaughan, MP for

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan, Richard 1650s births 1724 deaths People from Carmarthen Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Members of Gray's Inn Whig (British political party) MPs for Welsh constituencies English MPs 1685–1687 English MPs 1689–1690 English MPs 1690–1695 English MPs 1695–1698 English MPs 1698–1700 English MPs 1701–1702 English MPs 1702–1705 English MPs 1705–1707 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Welsh constituencies British MPs 1707–1708 British MPs 1708–1710 British MPs 1710–1713 British MPs 1713–1715 British MPs 1715–1722 British MPs 1722–1727