Sir Charles Wyndham (1638 – 1706) was an English politician who served as a Whig Member of Parliament from 1679 to 1701.

Family

Wyndham's birthdate is unrecorded, but he was baptised 2 April 1638. He was the fourth but second surviving son of Sir Edmund Wyndham (–1681), and Christabella, daughter of Hugh Pyne of Cathanger, Fivehead,

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

. Christabella was the

wet nurse A wet nurse is a woman who breastfeeding, breastfeeds and cares for another's child. Wet nurses are employed if the mother dies, if she is unable to nurse the child herself sufficiently or chooses not to do so. Wet-nursed children may be known a ...

for the future King Charles II and considered one of the most beautiful women of her day. The Wyndhams were an ancient and honourable family, with roots in

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

and

going back more than two centuries. in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

. Sir Edmund served as an MP for

Minehead Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the boundary with the county of Devon and close to the Exmoor National Park. T ...

and

Bridgwater Bridgwater is a historic market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. The town had a population of 41,276 at the 2021 census. Bridgwater is at the edge of the Somerset Levels, in level and well-wooded country. The town lies along both sid ...

as did his brother Sir Francis Wyndham, 1st Baronet. Charles' oldest brother, Sir Hugh Wyndham (1624–1671). and younger brother Thomas Wyndham, were also MPs. Sir Edmund was a

royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...

who supported Kings Charles I and Charles II. Sir Francis, a colonel, helped Charles II escape after his defeat at

Dunster Castle Dunster Castle is a former motte and bailey castle, now a English country house, country house, in the village of Dunster, Somerset, England. The castle lies on the top of a steep hill called the Tor, and has been fortified since the late Anglo ...

. The family went abroad after the end of the

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

, and Wyndham served as a

Page of Honour A Page of Honour is a ceremonial position in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It requires attendance on state occasions, but does not now involve the daily duties which were once attached to the office of page. The only ...

to the exiled Charles II until 1660.

Career

Wyndham continued his career at court after the Restoration. He served as sewer of the queen's chamber to King Charles' consort, Queen Catherine, until 1669, then served as Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber from 1687–1694. In 1661, he became a

Cornet The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. There is also a soprano cor ...

in the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues). Wyndham was knighted 15 September 1662. He became a lieutenant in 1667, followed by captain from 1685–1689. Wyndham served as MP for

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

from 1679–1689 and 1689–1698, and St Ives from 1698–1701. Wyndham was a very popular MP in Southampton, where he earned a reputation as "a zealous assertor of the tenants’ rights" against their landlord. His coat of arms has been placed on a shield on the city Bargate.

Personal life

On 19 June 1665, he married Jamesina Young, the daughter of James Young of

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

. Through her uncle John Young, the Dean of Winchester, Wyndham inherited

Cranbury Park Cranbury Park is a stately home and country estate situated in the parish of Hursley, Winchester, England. It was formerly the home to Sir Isaac Newton and later to the Chamberlayne family, whose descendants continue to own and occupy the hous ...

Hursley Hursley is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hampshire, England with a population of around 900 in 2011. It is located roughly midway between Romsey and Winchester on the A3090. Besides the village the parish includes th ...

, where Sir

Isaac Newton Sir Isaac Newton () was an English polymath active as a mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. Newton was a key figure in the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment that followed ...

lived toward the end of his life. Wyndham died 22 July 1706, without male issue, and was buried at Hursley Church. His wife died on 31 May 1720 and was interred next to her husband at the church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wyndham, Charles (1638-1706) 1638 births 1706 deaths Knights Bachelor Cavaliers Royal Horse Guards officers English MPs 1679 English MPs 1680–1681 English MPs 1681 English MPs 1685–1687 English MPs 1689–1690 English MPs 1690–1695 English MPs 1695–1698 English MPs 1698–1700