Robert Marsham, 2nd Baron Romney (22 August 1712 – 16 November 1793) was a British peer and patron of the arts.

Biography

Lord Romney was the son of

Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney Robert Marsham, 1st Baron Romney (17 September 1685 – 28 November 1724) of The Mote, Maidstone, known as Sir Robert Marsham, Bt between 1703 and 1716, was an English Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1708 to 1716 when he wa ...

and his wife Elizabeth Shovell, daughter of Admiral Sir

Cloudesley Shovell Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell ( – 22/23 October 1707) was an Royal Navy officer and politician. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Solebay and Battle of Texel during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. As a captain he fo ...

. He was educated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

, matriculating in 1731 aged 18, graduating D.C.L. in 1733. Lord Romney was a founding member of the

Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce The Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, founded in 1754, was the precursor of The ''Royal'' Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce now more usually known as the RSA. The original Society gaine ...

(which later evolved into the

Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

). He was elected First Vice-President of the Society in 1758. On the death of Lord Folkestone in 1761, Lord Romney was elected President, and was re-elected every year until his death in 1793. He became a

Fellow of the Royal Society Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the Fellows of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural science, natural knowledge, incl ...

in 1757,

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

of the West Kent Militia in 1759, President of

The Marine Society The Marine Society is a British charity, the world's first established for seafarers. In 1756, at the beginning of the Seven Years' War against France, Austria, and Saxony (and subsequently the Mughal Empire, Spain, Russia and Sweden) Britain urg ...

1756–1793, and a Fellow of the

Society of Antiquaries of London The Society of Antiquaries of London (SAL) is a learned society of historians and archaeologists in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1707, received its royal charter in 1751 and is a Charitable organization, registered charity. It is based ...

in 1762. He died on 16 November 1793, and was buried in

All Saints Church, Maidstone All Saints is a parish church in Maidstone, Kent. It is a Grade I listed buildingand has been described as the grandest Perpendicular style church in Kent. Establishment and dissolution Founded by the Archbishop of Canterbury William Courte ...

Family

On 29 July 1742, Lord Romney married Priscilla Pym (1724–1771), daughter of Charles Pym of

Saint Kitts Saint Kitts, officially Saint Christopher, is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis constitute one ...

, from whom Lord Romney inherited slave estates in Saint Kitts. They had ten children: * Hon. Robert Pym Marsham (1743–1762) * Hon. Charles Marsham (1744–1811), succeeded as 3rd Baron Romney, created 1st Earl of Romney in 1801 * Hon. John Marsham (b. 1748, died young) * Hon. Priscilla Marsham (1745/1750–1804) * Hon. Elizabeth Marsham (1751–1828) * Hon. Frances Marsham (1755–1821) * Hon. Shovel r ChauvelMarsham (b. 1757, died young) * Rev. Hon. Jacob Marsham (1759–1840), Canon of Windsor * Hon. Harriot Marsham (b. 1760, died young) * Hon. Charlotte Marsham (1761–1794), married John Coker

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Robert Marsham, 1st Baron 1712 births 1793 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Barons in the Peerage of Great Britain Kent Militia officers Fellows of the Royal Society Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London English slave owners West Kent Light Infantry officers