Sir Humphrey Briggs, 4th Baronet (c. 1670 – 8 December 1734), of Haughton, Shropshire, was an English Whig politician who sat in the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

and

British House of Commons The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 memb ...

between 1701 and 1727. Briggs was the eldest son of Sir Humphrey Briggs, 3rd Baronet, of Haughton and Ernstrey Park,

Shropshire Shropshire (; abbreviated SalopAlso used officially as the name of the county from 1974–1980. The demonym for inhabitants of the county "Salopian" derives from this name.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West M ...

, and his wife, Lady Barbara ( Wyndham, daughter of Sir Wadham Wyndham of Norrington, Wiltshire). He matriculated at

Wadham College, Oxford Wadham College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street, Oxford, Broad Street and Parks Road ...

on 2 July 1687, aged 17 and was admitted at

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

in 1687. He succeeded his father in the

baronetcy 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 31 January 1699. Briggs was elected as Whig Member of Parliament (MP) for

in the general election of February 1701. However, he was defeated in the November 1701 general election. In July 1702 he was returned unopposed as MP for

Bridgnorth Bridgnorth is a market town and civil parish in Shropshire, England. The River Severn splits it into High Town and Low Town, the upper town on the right bank and the lower on the left bank of the River Severn. The population at the United Kingd ...

and was re-elected in a contest in 1705. He was returned unopposed for Bridgnorth in the 1708 general election. He supported he Whig administration, and voted for the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709 and for the impeachment of

Henry Sacheverell Henry Sacheverell (; 8 February 1674 – 5 June 1724) was an English high church Anglican clergyman who achieved nationwide fame in 1709 after preaching an incendiary 5 November sermon. He was subsequently impeached by the House of Commons and ...

in 1710. The

1710 British general election The 1710 British general election produced a landslide victory for the Tories. The election came in the wake of the prosecution of Henry Sacheverell, which had led to the collapse of the previous government led by Godolphin and the Whig Junto. ...

was dominated by the issue of the impeachment and Briggs and the other Whig Member for Bridgnorth, were narrowly defeated by two Tories in a fierce contest. Briggs did not stand at the 1715 general election, but was returned at a by-election at

Much Wenlock Much Wenlock is a market town and Civil parishes in England, parish in Shropshire, England; it is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the north-east, is the Ironbridge Gorge and Telford. The civil parish incl ...

on 13 July 1716. He was convincingly returned for Wenlock at the 1722 general election and stood down in

1727 Events January–March * January 1 – (December 21, 1726 O.S.) Spain's ambassador to Great Britain demands that the British return Gibraltar after accusing Britain of violating the terms of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Britain ...

. Briggs died unmarried on 8 December 1734. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his brother, Hugh.

References

1670s births 1734 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of England Politicians from Shropshire Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies English MPs 1701 English MPs 1702–1705 English MPs 1705–1707 {{England-baronet-stub