George Musgrave, MP

Family and Education b. ?1740, 2nd s. of George Musgrave, storekeeper of the Ordnance at Chatham (and gd.-s. of Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Bt., M.P., of Edenhall, Cumb.), by Sarah, da. of Benjamin Rossell, wid. of Lt. Young. educ. Westminster Jan. 1752, aged 12; Oriel, Oxf. 11 May 1758, aged 18; L. Inn 1761. unm.

Offices Held

Biography Musgrave came of an old Cumberland family. In 1768 he stood for Carlisle on the Duke of Portland’s interest, and was returned after a contest. In Parliament he voted with the Rockinghams, and attended Rockingham’s dinner for Opposition Members at the Thatched House Tavern on 8 June 1770. Seven speeches by him are noted in Cavendish’s ‘Debates’, none of any length.

Musgrave did not accept the Portland-Lowther compromise of 1774 as far as it related to Carlisle: it introduced two strangers as candidates for the borough, implied the predominance of the Lowther and Howard interests, and left him without a seat in Parliament. On 2 Oct. 1774, Sir Philip Musgrave, 6th Bt., George Musgrave’s cousin, wrote to Portland:1

In these circumstances Mr. Musgrave could not appear to his brother and me otherwise than at liberty to try his own strength, informing your Grace of his intentions and unpretending to your support, by which he would at least become a better judge of the inclinations of the gentlemen and freemen towards him, than if he dropped his connections with them at this time, to the ruin of his interest on all future occasions which may happen to call it forth. Portland, of course, did not support Musgrave, who obtained less than half the number of votes polled for the successful candidates. He never stood for Parliament again.

He died 27 Mar. 1824.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790 Author: John Brooke Notes 1. Portland mss.

Of Borden Hall, Co. Kent and Shillington Manor, Apsleybury, Co. Bedford, and Kepier, Co. Durham. Matriculated Oriel College, Oxford 11 May 1758. M.P. for Carlisle 1768-74. Died 27 March 1824 aet. 83. Not married. When aged about 30 had an affair with ....... Walker of Devonshire and had two children who took the name Walker. Issue (1) George Walker (Musgrave), born 8 Sept 1769. (2) a daughter. M.I., Borden Church chancel rail, "George youngest son of George Musgrave, Esq. formerly Keeper of H.M. Ordnance Stores at Chatham, and grandson of Sir Christopher Musgrave, Baronet, of Eden Hall, Cumberland. At an early period of his life he sat in Parliament as a representative of Carlisle; and having worthily enjoyed all that should accompany old age, he made a Christian end dying in his 83rd year, on the 27th of March, 1824. He was interred in St. Margaret's Church, Westminster."

https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1754-1790/member/m... ConstituencyDates CARLISLE 1768 - 1774 Family and Education b. ?1740, 2nd s. of George Musgrave, storekeeper of the Ordnance at Chatham (and gd.-s. of Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Bt., M.P., of Edenhall, Cumb.), by Sarah, da. of Benjamin Rossell, wid. of Lt. Young. educ. Westminster Jan. 1752, aged 12; Oriel, Oxf. 11 May 1758, aged 18; L. Inn 1761. unm.

Offices Held Biography Musgrave came of an old Cumberland family. In 1768 he stood for Carlisle on the Duke of Portland’s interest, and was returned after a contest. In Parliament he voted with the Rockinghams, and attended Rockingham’s dinner for Opposition Members at the Thatched House Tavern on 8 June 1770. Seven speeches by him are noted in Cavendish’s ‘Debates’, none of any length.

Musgrave did not accept the Portland-Lowther compromise of 1774 as far as it related to Carlisle: it introduced two strangers as candidates for the borough, implied the predominance of the Lowther and Howard interests, and left him without a seat in Parliament. On 2 Oct. 1774, Sir Philip Musgrave, 6th Bt., George Musgrave’s cousin, wrote to Portland:1

In these circumstances Mr. Musgrave could not appear to his brother and me otherwise than at liberty to try his own strength, informing your Grace of his intentions and unpretending to your support, by which he would at least become a better judge of the inclinations of the gentlemen and freemen towards him, than if he dropped his connections with them at this time, to the ruin of his interest on all future occasions which may happen to call it forth. Portland, of course, did not support Musgrave, who obtained less than half the number of votes polled for the successful candidates. He never stood for Parliament again.

He died 27 Mar. 1824.
His will is available in the Bedfordshire Archives
[http://bedsarchivescat.bedford.gov.uk/Details/archive/110423904]

Family and Education b. ?1740, 2nd s. of George Musgrave, storekeeper of the Ordnance at Chatham (and gd.-s. of Sir Christopher Musgrave, 4th Bt., M.P., of Edenhall, Cumb.), by Sarah, da. of Benjamin Rossell, wid. of Lt. Young. educ. Westminster Jan. 1752, aged 12; Oriel, Oxf. 11 May 1758, aged 18; L. Inn 1761. unm.

Offices Held

Biography Musgrave came of an old Cumberland family. In 1768 he stood for Carlisle on the Duke of Portland’s interest, and was returned after a contest. In Parliament he voted with the Rockinghams, and attended Rockingham’s dinner for Opposition Members at the Thatched House Tavern on 8 June 1770. Seven speeches by him are noted in Cavendish’s ‘Debates’, none of any length.

Musgrave did not accept the Portland-Lowther compromise of 1774 as far as it related to Carlisle: it introduced two strangers as candidates for the borough, implied the predominance of the Lowther and Howard interests, and left him without a seat in Parliament. On 2 Oct. 1774, Sir Philip Musgrave, 6th Bt., George Musgrave’s cousin, wrote to Portland:1

In these circumstances Mr. Musgrave could not appear to his brother and me otherwise than at liberty to try his own strength, informing your Grace of his intentions and unpretending to your support, by which he would at least become a better judge of the inclinations of the gentlemen and freemen towards him, than if he dropped his connections with them at this time, to the ruin of his interest on all future occasions which may happen to call it forth. Portland, of course, did not support Musgrave, who obtained less than half the number of votes polled for the successful candidates. He never stood for Parliament again.

He died 27 Mar. 1824.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790 Author: John Brooke Notes 1. Portland mss.