Richard Wingfield-Baker

Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker (sometimes Richard Baker Wingfield Baker or Richard Wingfield Baker; born Richard Baker Wingfield) (1802[2] – 25 March 1880) MP, DL, was a Liberal Party politician, High Sheriff and deputy lieutenant in the English county of Essex.[3][4] Like his father, maternal grandfather, half-brother, and brother-in-law, Wingfield-Baker served as a Member of Parliament.

Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker
MP, DL
Member of Parliament
for South Essex
In office
4 April 1857[1] – 1859
Preceded bySir William Bowyer-Smijth, 11th Baronet
Succeeded byJohn Perry-Watlington
Member of Parliament
for South Essex
In office
16 Nov 1868[1] – 1874
Preceded byHenry Selwin-Ibbetson, 1st Baron Rookwood
Succeeded byThomas Charles Baring
Personal details
Born1802
Died25 March 1880
Political partyLiberal
SpouseMargaret Maria Hanmer
Alma materChrist Church, Oxford
ProfessionBarrister

Early years

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His parents were William Wingfield 1772 – 1858), MP for Bodmin, and Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby. Wingfield-Baker's siblings were: George-Digby (who succeeded to the estates of the Earl Digby),[5] John-Digby, Mary, Caroline (who married Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham),[6] and Frances-Eliza.

After his father's second marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of William Mills of Bisterne, Hampshire, Wingfield-Baker there were several half-siblings including:Charles John Wingfield Member of Parliament for Gravesend, William-Wriothesley-Digby (Vicar of Gulval), Frederick, Henry, Kenelm-Digby, and Julia.

Wingfield-Baker entered Rugby School in 1815.[7] He began his studies at Christ Church, Oxford in 1820, and received a BA degree from in 1827.

Career

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Wingfield-Baker became a Barrister at law at Inner Temple in 1827.

He was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Essex on 14 September 1852[4] under Benjamin Mildmay, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, and in 1867 served as High Sheriff of Essex.[2][8] Wingfield-Baker held the position of Chairman of the Quarter Sessions.[2][9] For a time, he was Secretary to the Lord Chancellor Cottenham,[10] his sister Caroline's husband.

Wingfield-Baker, a Liberal, was elected a Member of Parliament for South Essex twice, first for the period of 1857-1859 and again 1868–1874.[3][11][12]

His military service was with the 2nd Essex Volunteer Artillery, being promoted captain on 13 September 1860.[13] In June 1864, he became Captain Commandant.[14]

Personal life

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Richard Baker was a relative by marriage. Upon his (fathers) death – in 1827, William Wingfield inherited the John Baker title. Upon the death of Richard Baker's widow in 1849, the remainder of the estate, including the Orsett title,[15] also passed to William Wingfield who, in the same year, legally changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker by Royal licensure.[16] Upon the death of William Wingfield on 21 March 1858, his son, Richard Baker Wingfield, inherited the estate and assumed the additional surname of Baker.[17]

Wingfield-Baker of Orsett Hall had a second residence at 2 Lowndes Square, London SW. He also owned land in Stoke Damerel, Devon.[18]

Wingfield-Baker married Margaret Maria Hanmer, daughter of Lt.-Col. Thomas Hanmer and Arabella Charlotte Bucknall, in 1837, and sister of John Hanmer, 1st Baron Hanmer. They had at least one child, a son, Captain Digby Hanmer Wingfield (d. 1884). Wingfield-Baker died in 1880 from injuries sustained in hunting accident.[19]

Upon Wingfield-Baker's death on 25 March 1880,[20] his only son succeeded him.

References

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  1. ^ a b "The House of Commons Constituencies Beginning with "E"". leighrayment.com. 11 May 2010. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ a b c The Law times, Volume 46. Office of The Law times. 1869. p. 105.
  3. ^ a b Foster, Joseph (1888–1892). "Wingfield-Baker, Richard Baker" . Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715–1886. Oxford: Parker and Co – via Wikisource.
  4. ^ a b "No. 21361". The London Gazette. 24 September 1852. p. 2547.
  5. ^ Coller, Duffield William (1861). The people's history of Essex: comprising a narrative of public and political events in the county, from the earliest ages to the present time : the hundreds and boroughs, with descriptive sketches of their antiquities and ruins, the seats of the nobility and gentry, and an epitome of the . (Digitized 6 Sep 2007 ed.). Meggy and Chalk. pp. 510. wingfield baker.
  6. ^ Pepys, Sir William Weller (1904). Alice Cecilia Caroline Gaussen (ed.). A later Pepys: the correspondence of Sir William Weller Pepys, bart., master in chancery 1758-1825. Vol. 2 (Digitized 5 December 2008 ed.). John Lane. p. 55.
  7. ^ Rugby School register: from 1675 to 1849 inclusive, Volume 1 (Digitized 20 April 2007). A.J. Lawrence. 1881. p. 125.
  8. ^ "No. 23215". The London Gazette. 2 February 1867. p. 211.[dead link]
  9. ^ Law magazine and law review, Volume 5 (Digitized 1 April 2008). Butterworths. 1880. pp. 315.
  10. ^ Dod's parliamentary companion (Digitized 25 July 2008 ed.). Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd. 1872. p. 160.
  11. ^ "No. 21986". The London Gazette. 7 April 1857. p. 1265.
  12. ^ "No. 23446". The London Gazette. 1 December 1868. p. 6402.
  13. ^ "No. 22424". The London Gazette. 21 September 1860. p. 3438.
  14. ^ "No. 22863". The London Gazette. 14 June 1864. p. 3075.
  15. ^ Leach, Norma. "Orsett Hall". thurrock-history.org.uk.
  16. ^ Burke, Sir Bernard (1858). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 1 (Digitized 5 June 2008 ed.). Harrison. p. 42.
  17. ^ "No. 22444". The London Gazette. 6 November 1860. p. 4108.
  18. ^ "No. 22915". The London Gazette. 25 November 1864. p. 5851.
  19. ^ Podmore, Frank (1897). Studies in psychical research (Digitized 19 March 2009). Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. pp. 242.
  20. ^ "No. 24865". The London Gazette. 20 July 1880. p. 4059.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Essex South
18571859
With: Thomas William Bramston
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Essex South
18681874
With: Andrew Johnston
Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Arthur Pryor
High Sheriff of Essex
1867–1868
Succeeded by
William Charles Smith