Richard Child, 1st Earl Tylney
Encyclopedia
Richard Child, 1st Earl Tylney (5 February 1680-March 1750), was an English Member of Parliament
. He held no Office of State, nor any commercial directorship of significance, but is remembered chiefly as the builder of the now long-demolished Palladian "princely mansion" Wanstead House
, one of the first in the style constructed in Britain. In the furnishing of his mansion Child became the main patron of the Flemish painter Old Nollekens. He died in March 1750 aged 70 at Aix-en-Provence, France, and was buried on 29 May 1750 at Wanstead.
(1630–1699) Governor of the East India Company
, who had been created 1st Baronet of Wanstead
in 1678, by his third wife Emma Barnard (died 16 October 1725), daughter of Sir Henry Barnard, of Bridgnorth
, Shropshire
, Turkey merchant
of London. He was appointed as residuary legatee and executor under the will of his father, whose death occurred before Richard's majority. Richard then on 12 February 1700 petitioned Parliament for a bill, to vest certain lands in trustees ,so that settlements made upon the marriage of his half-brother Josiah could be honoured.
In 1703 Richard married Dorothy Glynne, daughter and co-heiress of John Glynne, younger son of Sir John Glynne (died 1666), Lord Chief Justice, of Henley Park
, Surrey, and Dorothy Tylney, daughter of Francis Tylney of Tylney Hall, Rotherwick
, Hampshire
. On 20 January 1704 he succeeded his half-brother Sir Josiah Child, 2nd Baronet, to the Baronetcy and to the Child manor of Wanstead, Essex
, lying 6 miles north-east of the City of London. He also inherited a fortune of £4,000 per annum, which brought his total income to £10,000.
to build a palatial Palladian mansion to replace the former manor house. By the time of its completion in 1722 Wanstead House
had provided Child with a grand seat befitting his newly obtained status as Viscount Castlemain, a creation of 1718.
candidate for Essex in 1705, with the backing of Henry Compton, Bishop of London. In 1708 he won a seat as Member of Parliament for Maldon
, Essex, as a Tory, which he retained until 1710.
During this session he came to prominence chiefly from having acted as a teller for the minority in favour of an adjournment during the debate on the Whitchurch
election, which had been fought by his wife's relative, Frederick Tylney. The House resolved that Tylney had not been duly elected. He also voted against the impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell
. He subsequently represented Essex
from 1710 to 1722, having been supported in his election by the Church Party, with over 90% of his vote consisting of "Plumpers
", denoting his high popularity, and was classed as a Tory in an analysis of the returns. In 1711 he was listed as one of the "Worthy Patriots" who had drawn attention to the mismanagement of the previous government. He was a member of the October Club
. His elevation to the Peerage of Ireland
in 1718 did not preclude him from retaining his seat in the British House of Commons. He again represented Essex from 1727 to 1734.
to complain: "that's beginning too soon to be like the Duchess of Marlborough
, to do anything for money, making a man that's no gentleman a lord". The rumour of a peerage resurfaced in the winter of 1711 and in March 1713, and proved true when on 24 April 1718, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
as Baron Newtown, in the County of Donegal, and Viscount Castlemaine, in the County of Kerry. It is not known whether he ever took his seat in the Irish House of Lords
; the title was designed only to give social status. The title of Castlemain was somewhat discredited, having last been granted in 1661 to Roger Palmer
, 1st Earl of Castlemain, whose wife was Barbara Villiers
, mistress of King Charles II, to whom the King wished to give status. The patent confined the remainder to the heirs of her body, not his. Palmer himself never took his seat in the Irish Parliament, and had died in 1705.
(died 1739), and daughter and sole heiress of Frederick Tylney (died 1725) (who had built Tylney Hall in 1700), by Ann, daughter of George Pitt (died 1745) of Stratfield Saye
, Hampshire. Lady Craven's daughter had predeceased her in 1725 and the marriage of Lord and Lady Craven was without surviving issue. Ann Tylney, Lady Craven was buried at Binley
, Coventry.
from Richard More. Tylney was already by then a local landowner. His descendant Frederick Tylney, who stood as MP for Whitchurch
in January 1708, built a great mansion on the estate in 1700, called Tylney Hall. It was rebuilt in 1898 in the Victorian style, and is now a country hotel. A marble monument exists in the north aisle of Rotherwick church to Frederick Tylney (d. 1725), erected by his widow Anne, which displays their combined coats of arms, of which Tylney is: "Argent, a chevron between 3 griffons' heads erased gules".
. On 13 June 1733 the Earl assumed by Act of Parliament the surname, for himself and his heirs, of Tylney in lieu of his patronymic, probably to meet a requirement of his wife's inheritance. His eldest surviving son Richard, styled from the creation of his father's earldom in 1731 by the courtesy title (his father's lesser title) of Viscount Castlemaine, died in 1734 without issue, predeceasing his father.
. The following pictures by him were some of the 16 by Nollekens included in the great sale by auction held at Wanstead House in 1822 shortly before its demolition (source: catalogue, with prices realised):
Other Nollekens paintings associated with Wanstead are:
On the Earl's death in March 1750, he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son John, who had also adopted the surname Tylney in 1733, and became 2nd Earl Tylney
. The 2nd Earl was MP (2nd Member) for Malmesbury
, Wiltshire (1761–1768), possibly as a result of his family connection with the locally influential Long family, and a Fellow of the Royal Society (1746). On his death in 1784, unmarried, the family titles all became extinct. His heir was Sir James Long, 7th. Baronet, son of his eldest sister Emma and her husband Sir Robert Long, 6th Baronet
(d. 1767), of Draycot, Wiltshire. The 7th Baronet was required by his inheritance to adopt the name Tylney-Long, which he duly did, becoming Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Baronet
.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. He held no Office of State, nor any commercial directorship of significance, but is remembered chiefly as the builder of the now long-demolished Palladian "princely mansion" Wanstead House
Wanstead Park
Wanstead Park is the name of a grade II listed municipal park covering an area of about 140 acres , located in Wanstead, in the London Borough of Redbridge, historically within the county of Essex...
, one of the first in the style constructed in Britain. In the furnishing of his mansion Child became the main patron of the Flemish painter Old Nollekens. He died in March 1750 aged 70 at Aix-en-Provence, France, and was buried on 29 May 1750 at Wanstead.
Family background
Richard Child was baptised at Wanstead Church of the Virgin Mary on 5 February 1680, the third son of the wealthy Sir Josiah ChildJosiah Child
Sir Josiah Child of Wanstead, 1st Baronet , English merchant, economist proponent of mercantilism and governor of the East India Company, was born in London, the second son of Richard Child, a London merchant of old family.-Family:...
(1630–1699) Governor of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, who had been created 1st Baronet of Wanstead
Wanstead
Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, North-East London. The main road going through Wanstead is the A12. The name is from the Anglo-Saxon words wænn and stede, meaning "settlement on a small hill"....
in 1678, by his third wife Emma Barnard (died 16 October 1725), daughter of Sir Henry Barnard, of Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth
Bridgnorth is a town in Shropshire, England, along the Severn Valley. It is split into Low Town and High Town, named on account of their elevations relative to the River Severn, which separates the upper town on the right bank from the lower on the left...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, Turkey merchant
Levant Company
The Levant Company, or Turkey Company, was an English chartered company formed in 1581, to regulate English trade with Turkey and the Levant...
of London. He was appointed as residuary legatee and executor under the will of his father, whose death occurred before Richard's majority. Richard then on 12 February 1700 petitioned Parliament for a bill, to vest certain lands in trustees ,so that settlements made upon the marriage of his half-brother Josiah could be honoured.
In 1703 Richard married Dorothy Glynne, daughter and co-heiress of John Glynne, younger son of Sir John Glynne (died 1666), Lord Chief Justice, of Henley Park
Henley Park
Henley Park is a country house and landscape garden in Bix and Assendon civil parish in the Chiltern Hills of South Oxfordshire, England. The house is about north of Henley-on-Thames. The park adjoins the county boundary with Buckinghamshire....
, Surrey, and Dorothy Tylney, daughter of Francis Tylney of Tylney Hall, Rotherwick
Rotherwick
Rotherwick is a small village situated in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is situated between the Whitewater and the Lyde, both tributaries of the Loddon. Rotherwick is within walking distance from Hook....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. On 20 January 1704 he succeeded his half-brother Sir Josiah Child, 2nd Baronet, to the Baronetcy and to the Child manor of Wanstead, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, lying 6 miles north-east of the City of London. He also inherited a fortune of £4,000 per annum, which brought his total income to £10,000.
Building of Wanstead House
Following the first Baronets's death, his heir Josiah had leased Wanstead to his half-brother Richard. Coming into full possession of it, Sir Richard Child, 3rd Baronet, commissioned in 1715 the Scottish architect Colen CampbellColen Campbell
Colen Campbell was a pioneering Scottish architect who spent most of his career in England, and is credited as a founder of the Georgian style...
to build a palatial Palladian mansion to replace the former manor house. By the time of its completion in 1722 Wanstead House
Wanstead Park
Wanstead Park is the name of a grade II listed municipal park covering an area of about 140 acres , located in Wanstead, in the London Borough of Redbridge, historically within the county of Essex...
had provided Child with a grand seat befitting his newly obtained status as Viscount Castlemain, a creation of 1718.
Political career
Sir Richard Child stood unsuccessfully as a ToryTory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
candidate for Essex in 1705, with the backing of Henry Compton, Bishop of London. In 1708 he won a seat as Member of Parliament for Maldon
Maldon (UK Parliament constituency)
Maldon is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, Essex, as a Tory, which he retained until 1710.
During this session he came to prominence chiefly from having acted as a teller for the minority in favour of an adjournment during the debate on the Whitchurch
Whitchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitchurch was a parliamentary borough in the English County of Hampshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1586 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
election, which had been fought by his wife's relative, Frederick Tylney. The House resolved that Tylney had not been duly elected. He also voted against the impeachment of Dr Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell
Henry Sacheverell was an English High Church clergyman and politician.-Early life:The son of Joshua Sacheverell, rector of St Peter's, Marlborough,...
. He subsequently represented Essex
Essex (UK Parliament constituency)
Essex was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1290 until 1832. It elected two MPs, traditionally referred to as Knights of the Shire, to the House of Commons...
from 1710 to 1722, having been supported in his election by the Church Party, with over 90% of his vote consisting of "Plumpers
Cumulative voting
Cumulative voting is a multiple-winner voting system intended to promote more proportional representation than winner-take-all elections.- History :...
", denoting his high popularity, and was classed as a Tory in an analysis of the returns. In 1711 he was listed as one of the "Worthy Patriots" who had drawn attention to the mismanagement of the previous government. He was a member of the October Club
October Club
The October Club was a group of Tory MPs, active around 1711 to 1714. The group took its name from the strong ale they reportedly drank.After Robert Harley refused to set up an inquiry into the former administrations financial policies, on 5 February 1711 some Tories passed resolutions calling for...
. His elevation to the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
in 1718 did not preclude him from retaining his seat in the British House of Commons. He again represented Essex from 1727 to 1734.
First elevation to the Peerage
In June 1711 a rumour emerged that Child was about to purchase a peerage for £10,000 from the administration under Queen Anne, which prompted Thomas Viscount WindsorViscount Windsor
Viscount Windsor is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of Ireland in 1699 when the Hon. Thomas Windsor was made Viscount Windsor, of Blackcastle. He was the younger son of Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth, and notably represented Droitwich,...
to complain: "that's beginning too soon to be like the Duchess of Marlborough
Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough
Sarah Churchill , Duchess of Marlborough rose to be one of the most influential women in British history as a result of her close friendship with Queen Anne of Great Britain.Sarah's friendship and influence with Princess Anne was widely known, and leading public figures...
, to do anything for money, making a man that's no gentleman a lord". The rumour of a peerage resurfaced in the winter of 1711 and in March 1713, and proved true when on 24 April 1718, he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
as Baron Newtown, in the County of Donegal, and Viscount Castlemaine, in the County of Kerry. It is not known whether he ever took his seat in the Irish House of Lords
Irish House of Lords
The Irish House of Lords was the upper house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from mediaeval times until 1800. It was abolished along with the Irish House of Commons by the Act of Union.-Function:...
; the title was designed only to give social status. The title of Castlemain was somewhat discredited, having last been granted in 1661 to Roger Palmer
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine PC was an English courtier, diplomat, and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660. He was also a noted Catholic writer...
, 1st Earl of Castlemain, whose wife was Barbara Villiers
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland
Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland was an English courtesan and perhaps the most notorious of the many mistresses of King Charles II of England, by whom she had five children, all of which were acknowledged and subsequently ennobled...
, mistress of King Charles II, to whom the King wished to give status. The patent confined the remainder to the heirs of her body, not his. Palmer himself never took his seat in the Irish Parliament, and had died in 1705.
Inheritance of Tylney estates
In 1730 Child's wife Dorothy Glynne inherited the Tylney estates in Hampshire from her cousin Ann Tylney (died 5 Feb. 1729/30), Lady Craven, wife of William Craven, 3rd Baron CravenWilliam Craven, 3rd Baron Craven
William Craven, 3rd Baron Craven was an English nobleman.He inherited his father's title and estates at the age of only eleven and made his home at Hamstead Marshall in Berkshire. Unfortunately, his great palace there burnt down in 1718 and his dreams of rebuilding it came to nothing. He...
(died 1739), and daughter and sole heiress of Frederick Tylney (died 1725) (who had built Tylney Hall in 1700), by Ann, daughter of George Pitt (died 1745) of Stratfield Saye
Stratfield Saye
Stratfield Saye is a village and civil parish in the north-east of the English county of Hampshire.The parish includes the hamlets of West End Green, Fair Oak Green and Fair Cross.The name means 'Street-Field of the Saye family'...
, Hampshire. Lady Craven's daughter had predeceased her in 1725 and the marriage of Lord and Lady Craven was without surviving issue. Ann Tylney, Lady Craven was buried at Binley
Binley
Binley may refer too:Places:*Binley, Coventry, a district of Coventry, England*Binley, Hampshire, a place in Hampshire, EnglandPeople:...
, Coventry.
Tylney family of Hampshire
In 1629 Richard Tylney purchased the manor of RotherwickRotherwick
Rotherwick is a small village situated in the Hart district of Hampshire, England. It is situated between the Whitewater and the Lyde, both tributaries of the Loddon. Rotherwick is within walking distance from Hook....
from Richard More. Tylney was already by then a local landowner. His descendant Frederick Tylney, who stood as MP for Whitchurch
Whitchurch (UK Parliament constituency)
Whitchurch was a parliamentary borough in the English County of Hampshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1586 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in January 1708, built a great mansion on the estate in 1700, called Tylney Hall. It was rebuilt in 1898 in the Victorian style, and is now a country hotel. A marble monument exists in the north aisle of Rotherwick church to Frederick Tylney (d. 1725), erected by his widow Anne, which displays their combined coats of arms, of which Tylney is: "Argent, a chevron between 3 griffons' heads erased gules".
Creation of Tylney Earldom
On 11 June 1731, Viscount Castlemaine was created Earl Tylney, of Castlemaine in the County of Kerry, a title in the Peerage of IrelandPeerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. On 13 June 1733 the Earl assumed by Act of Parliament the surname, for himself and his heirs, of Tylney in lieu of his patronymic, probably to meet a requirement of his wife's inheritance. His eldest surviving son Richard, styled from the creation of his father's earldom in 1731 by the courtesy title (his father's lesser title) of Viscount Castlemaine, died in 1734 without issue, predeceasing his father.
Patron of Old Nollekens
Child was the main patron of the Flemish painter Joseph Francis Nollekens, known as Old Nollekens to distinguish him from his better known sculptor son Joseph NollekensJoseph Nollekens
Joseph Nollekens was a sculptor from London generally considered to be the finest British sculptor of the late 18th century. He was also a founder member of the Royal Academy in 1768.-Life:...
. The following pictures by him were some of the 16 by Nollekens included in the great sale by auction held at Wanstead House in 1822 shortly before its demolition (source: catalogue, with prices realised):
- Lot 10. "A pair—the Juvenile Artists and Companion, a Boy spinning his Top," £25.
- Lot 16. "A pair—the Juvenile Parties; Card-builders and Players at Tetotum," £17.
- Lot 138. "Dancing Figures, a sketch, in a French carved frame, £1 2s.
- Lot 225. "Rural Recreations, painted with all the taste and elegance of Watteau," £6 6s.
- Lot 307. "A Boy beating a Drum, and a small Landscape, and two curious models of the Stag and Fox in wax," £8, 15s.
- Lot 308. "The Wine-Traders, painted with the tasteful elegance of Watteau," £31 10s.
- Lot 3ll. "Females Bathing, in a Landscape, with a distant view of Wanstead-house," £8 18s 6d.
- Lot 314. "Landscape, Buildings," &c. £7.
- Lot 316. "Landscape and Figures, with a youth playing the guitar.
Other Nollekens paintings associated with Wanstead are:
- Music Party at Wanstead House
- Lord and Lady Tylney at Wanstead House (Longleat House Coll.)
- Music Party before the Lake at Wanstead. (Sold by Christie's 25/6/1965)
Succession
Earl Tylney and his wife Dorothy Glynne had seven children:- Emma (b. 1707), twin. Married Sir Robert Long, 6th BaronetSir Robert Long, 6th BaronetSir Robert Long, 6th Baronet was an English politician.The only surviving son of Sir James Long, 5th Baronet and his wife Henrietta Greville, Long was baptised on 8 November 1705 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London...
(d. 1767), of Draycot, Wiltshire. - Elizabeth (b. 1707), twin.
- Frederick (b. 1709), died young.
- Richard (1711-1734), predeceased his father.
- John (b. 1712), 2nd Earl Tylney (see below).
- Josiah (d. 1760), a Lieutenant or Captain in the Royal Navy, likely to be the officer depicted by Nollekens seated dressed in a blue coat. He seems never to have changed his surname to "Tylney". He married Mrs Henrietta Wymondsold (1729–1763), divorced wife of Charles Wymondsold of LockingeEast LockingeEast Lockinge is a village in Lockinge civil parish, about east of Wantage. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 local authority boundary changes transferred the Vale of White Horse to Oxfordshire.-Manor:...
, Berkshire, whom she had run away from, only daughter of Robert Knight, 1st Earl of CatherloughRobert Knight, 1st Earl of CatherloughRobert Knight, 1st Earl of Catherlough, KB, , was a Member of Parliament for Great Grimsby , Castle Rising, Norfolk and Milborne Port, Somerset . He...
. The marriage was without issue. Both Josiah and Henrietta had their portraits painted by Francis CotesFrancis CotesFrancis Cotes was an English painter, one of the pioneers of English pastel painting, and a founder member of the Royal Academy in 1768.-Life and work:...
, which are now in the collection of Lydiard Park, Swindon. - Dorothy (b. 1717).
On the Earl's death in March 1750, he was succeeded by his eldest surviving son John, who had also adopted the surname Tylney in 1733, and became 2nd Earl Tylney
Earl Tylney
Earl Tylney, of Castlemaine in the County of Kerry, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 11 June 1731 for Richard Child, 1st Viscount Castlemaine. The Child family descended from the merchant, economist and colonial administrator Josiah Child, who on 16 July 1678 was created a...
. The 2nd Earl was MP (2nd Member) for Malmesbury
Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Malmesbury was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1275 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.- MPs 1275–1508 :...
, Wiltshire (1761–1768), possibly as a result of his family connection with the locally influential Long family, and a Fellow of the Royal Society (1746). On his death in 1784, unmarried, the family titles all became extinct. His heir was Sir James Long, 7th. Baronet, son of his eldest sister Emma and her husband Sir Robert Long, 6th Baronet
Sir Robert Long, 6th Baronet
Sir Robert Long, 6th Baronet was an English politician.The only surviving son of Sir James Long, 5th Baronet and his wife Henrietta Greville, Long was baptised on 8 November 1705 at St Martin in the Fields, Westminster, London...
(d. 1767), of Draycot, Wiltshire. The 7th Baronet was required by his inheritance to adopt the name Tylney-Long, which he duly did, becoming Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Baronet
Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Baronet
Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Baronet was an English politician.The eldest son of Sir Robert Long, 6th Baronet and his wife Emma Child, he succeeded his father as 7th Baronet on 10 February 1767, and inherited the family estates, including the manors of Draycot and Athelhampton.- Career :He was a...
.