Edward Rushworth (politician)

Edward Rushworth (17 October 1755 – 15 October 1817)[1][2] was a British clergyman on the Isle of Wight, and a token politician.

Rushworth was the oldest son of Royal Navy Captain John Rushworth of Portsea in Hampshire. Educated at Winchester College and at Trinity College, Oxford, he became a deacon at Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.[3]

In 1780 he married Catherine Holmes, daughter of Reverend Leonard Holmes (later the 1st Baron Holmes). His father-in-law was the patron of both the parliamentary boroughs on the island.[3]

He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the two boroughs on the Isle of Wight for several periods between 1780 and 1797. He was MP for Yarmouth from 1781 to 1781,[1] for Newport from 1784 to 1790,[2] for Yarmouth in 1790, and for Yarmouth again from 1796 to 1797.[1][3]

He appears to have held the seats only as a placeholder, and did not take part in any parliamentary proceedings.[3]

Edward Rushworth memorial in St James' Church, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "Y"
  2. ^ a b Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "N" (part 1)
  3. ^ a b c d Thorne, R. G. (1986). R. Thorne (ed.). "RUSHWORTH, Edward (1755-1817), of Freshwater House and Faringford Hill, I.o.W". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
1780–1781
With: Edward Morant
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Newport, Isle of Wight
17841790
With: Hon. Hugh Seymour-Conway 1784–1786
Hon. John Townshend 1786–1790
George Byng 1790
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
1790–1791
With: Thomas Clarke Jervoise
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
1796–1797
With: Jervoise Clarke Jervoise
Succeeded by