Sir Richard Acton, 5th Baronet (1 January 1712 – 20 November 1791) was an English

English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 baronet

Baronet

A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...

. The son of Sir Whitmore Acton, 4th Bt., he succeeded to the baronet

Baronet

A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...

cy upon the death of his father.

He held the office of High Sheriff of Shropshire

High Sheriff of Shropshire

The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...

 from 1751 to 1752.

As he had no surviving male issue, the title went to his distant cousin, Sir John Acton.

Family

He married Lady Anne Grey, daughter of Harry Grey, 3rd Earl of Stamford

Harry Grey, 3rd Earl of Stamford

Harry Grey, 3rd Earl of Stamford was an English peer. He was somewhat eccentric, displaying this mainly in the construction of whimsical buildings....

on 21 September 1744, and they had the following children:

• Elizabeth Acton (1745-1802), married Philip Langdale, of Houghton, Yorkshire. No issue.
• Frances Acton (1749–1762)