Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Cockerell, 1st Baronet(18 February 1755 – 6 January 1837)[1]was aSomerset-born Englishman who prospered as an official of theEast India Company(EIC) and became a politician. He sat in theHouse of Commonsfor most of the period between 1802 and 1837, sitting for five different constituencies.[2]
Life and career[edit]
He was born inBishop's Hull,Somerset, the son of John Cockerell and Frances, daughter of John Jackson ofClapham.Through his mother Cockerell was the great-great nephew of the diaristSamuel Pepys.[3]
After education at Sharpe's school inBromley-by-Bowand laterWinchester Collegebetween 1767 and 1769, Cockerell arrived inBengal,India in 1776 as a writer (clerk) for the EIC's surveyor-general's office. He became friends withWarren Hastings,the first Governor-General of India andRichard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley,brother of theDuke of Wellington.Whilst employed by the EIC he was also a partner and later principal of theCalcuttabank of Cockerell, Trail & Co. During theFourth Anglo-Mysore War(1798-9), Cockerell assisted Wellesley as commander of the civil service military force and through financial arrangements with the Bengal government. As a result of these services he was raised to theBaronetage of Englandon 25 September 1809.[3]
In 1801 he returned to England to live atSezincote Housein Gloucestershire, which he had inherited from his elder brother, John. He then commissioned another brother,Samuel Pepys Cockerell,to build him a house "in the Indian style".[4]
Whilst remaining as an agent for the EIC, Cockerell was introduced as a Member of Parliament forTregonybyRichard Barwell,whom he had known in India. He was a silent supporter ofHenry Addington's ministry and considered doubtful byWilliam Pitt the Youngeron the latter's reelection in 1804. After failing to secure a seat in the 1806 Election, Cockerell was returned to Parliament forLostwithielin January 1807. He was subsequently MP forBletchingleyfrom 1809 to 1812,Seafordfrom 1816 to 1818 and forEveshamfrom 1819 to 1837.[3]Cockerell served as Mayor of Evesham from 1810 to 1833.[5]
Personal life[edit]
On 11 March 1789 in Calcutta, he married Maria-Tryphena (d. 8 Oct. 1789), daughter of Sir Charles William Blunt, 3rd Baronet of theBlunt baronets.He married secondly on 13 February 1808 the Honourable Harriet Rushout, daughter ofJohn Rushout, 1st Baron Northwick.The couple had a son, Charles Rushout Cockerell (b.1809), who succeeded to the baronetcy and two daughters, Harriet-Anne and Elizabeth Maria (d.1832). Charles Rushout Cockerell married the Honourable Cecilia-Olivia, daughter ofThomas Foley, 3rd Baron Foleyin 1834.[6]
References[edit]
- ^Leigh Rayment's list of baronets –Baronetcies beginning with "R" (part 2)
- ^Anderson, J. W.; Thorne, R. G. (2009). D.R. Fisher (ed.)."COCKERELL, Charles (1755-1837), of Sezincote, Glos".The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1820-1832.Cambridge University Press.Retrieved7 June2014.
- ^abc"COCKERELL, Charles (1755-1837), of Sezincote, Glos". The History of Parliament,University of London.
{{cite web}}:Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^Herbert, Eugenia W. (2012).Flora's Empire: British Gardens in India.University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 56.ISBN978-0-8122-0505-3.
- ^"Past Mayors - Evesham Town Council".Archived fromthe originalon 19 April 2019.Retrieved1 August2019.
- ^The Gentleman's Magazine.Vol. 7. 1837. p. 317.
External links[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1755 births
- 1837 deaths
- Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
- Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies
- British East India Company civil servants
- UK MPs 1802–1806
- UK MPs 1806–1807
- UK MPs 1807–1812
- UK MPs 1812–1818
- UK MPs 1818–1820
- UK MPs 1820–1826
- UK MPs 1826–1830
- UK MPs 1830–1831
- UK MPs 1831–1832
- UK MPs 1832–1835
- UK MPs 1835–1837