George Byng (1735–1789)

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Arms of Byng: Quarterly sable and argent in the first quarter a lion rampant of the second

George Byng (1735 – 27 October 1789) of Wrotham Park in Middlesex (now in Hertfordshire), was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1784.

Origins[edit]

He was the eldest son of Robert Byng (1703-1740), Governor of Barbados, by his wife Elizabeth Forward, a daughter and co-heiress of Jonathan Forward. He was a grandson of Admiral George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington (1663-1733) of Southill Park in Bedfordshire.

Career[edit]

He inherited the estate of Wrotham Park from his unmarried and childless uncle Admiral John Byng (1704-1757), famously court-martialled and shot in 1757 following the fall of Minorca. At the 1768 general election Byng was elected as a Member of Parliament for Wigan. He was returned unopposed for Wigan in 1774. He was returned unopposed as MP for Middlesex at the 1780 general election but was defeated in a contest in 1784.[1]

Marriage and progeny[edit]

On 5 March 1761 Byng married Anne Conolly (died 1806), daughter of William James Conolly (d.1754) by his wife Lady Anne Wentworth, a daughter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1672–1739). William James Conolly was an Irish Member of Parliament and was the nephew and heir of William Conolly (1662-1729), of Castletown House, County Kildare, Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, reputed to be the wealthiest man in Ireland. By his wife he had progeny including:

Death[edit]

He died on 27 October 1789.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "BYNG, George (?1735-89), of Wrotham Park, Mdx". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  2. ^ "The Building". 29 September 2015.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Wigan
17681774
With: Beaumont Hotham 1768-1775
John Morton 1775-1780
Henry Simpson Bridgeman 1780
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Middlesex
17801784
With: John Wilkes
Succeeded by