Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, MP, 1st Baronet

ConstituencyDatesWEYMOUTH AND MELCOMBE REGIS1790 - 1796Family and Education b. 21 Sept. 1732, 1st s. of Lt.-Col. John Johnstone of Netherwood, Dumfries, 2nd s. of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Bt.†, of Westerhall, Dumfries, by Charlotte Van Lore, da. and h. of John Vanden Bempde of Hackness Hall, wid. of William, 1st Mq. of Annandale [S]. educ. Pembroke, Cambridge 1750. m. (1) Nov. 1756, Catherine (d. 1790), da. of James Agnew of Bishop Auckland, co. Dur., s.p.; (2) 26 Feb. 1795, Margaret, da. of John Scott of Charterhouse Square, London, 2s. 2da. suc. half-bro. 1792 and took additional surname of Vanden Bempde by Act of Parliament 28 Feb. 1793; resumed surname of Johnstone 9 June 1795; cr. Bt. 6 July 1795.

Offices Held

Ensign, 3 Ft. Gds. 1753, lt. and capt. 1758, res. by 1761.

Biography Johnstone’s father, a soldier killed in action when he was a boy, had married the dowager Marchioness of Annandale, to whose Yorkshire estate Richard ultimately succeeded on the death of his childless half-brother George, 3rd Marquess of Annandale, in 1792; thereupon he for a while took his maternal grandfather’s name of Vanden Bempde. He was then in Parliament, having been returned for Weymouth on the Johnstone family interest. In April 1791 he was listed ‘doubtful’ on the question of repeal of the Test Act in Scotland. His silent support of administration together with his inheritance obtained him a baronetcy in 1795,1 whereupon he resumed his original name and retired from Parliament in 1796. One of his chief interests was the volunteer infantry; he had in his youth served with the 3rd Foot Guards. He died 14 July 1807.2

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820 Author: R. G. Thorne Notes 1. With remainder in default of issue to his younger brother Charles (1736-1805), a retired Hamburg merchant, C. L. Johnstone, Hist. of Johnstone (1909), 302. 2. Gent. Mag. (1807), ii. 781.

Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baronet (21 September 1732 – 14 July 1807) was a British Member of Parliament.

Born Richard Johnstone he was the son of Colonel John Johnstone (d. 1741), second son of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, of Westerhall. His mother was Charlotte, daughter of John van den Bempde of Hackness Hall in Hackness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. In 1793 he assumed by Act of Parliament his maternal grandfather's surname of Vanden-Bempde but in 1795 he was authorised by Royal license to resume the name of Johnstone in addition to those of Vanden-Bempde. Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone was elected to the House of Commons for Weymouth in 1790, a seat he held until 1796. In 1795 he was created a Baronet, of Hackness Hall in the North Riding of the County of York. He died in July 1807, aged 74, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John. His grandson Sir Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 3rd Baronet, was raised to the peerage as Baron Derwent in 1881.

Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baronet (21 September 1732 – 14 July 1807) was a British Member of Parliament.

Born Richard Johnstone he was the son of Colonel John Johnstone (d. 1741), second son of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, of Westerhall. His mother was Charlotte, daughter of John van den Bempde of Hackness Hall in Hackness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. In 1793 he assumed by Act of Parliament his maternal grandfather's surname of Vanden-Bempde but in 1795 he was authorised by Royal license to resume the name of Johnstone in addition to those of Vanden-Bempde. Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone was elected to the House of Commons for Weymouth in 1790, a seat he held until 1796. In 1795 he was created a Baronet, of Hackness Hall in the North Riding of the County of York. He died in July 1807, aged 74, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John. His grandson Sir Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 3rd Baronet, was raised to the peerage as Baron Derwent in 1881.

Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baronet (21 September 1732 – 14 July 1807) was a British Member of Parliament.

Born Richard Johnstone he was the son of Colonel John Johnstone (d. 1741), second son of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, of Westerhall. His mother was Charlotte, daughter of John van den Bempde of Hackness Hall in Hackness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. In 1793 he assumed by Act of Parliament his maternal grandfather's surname of Vanden-Bempde but in 1795 he was authorised by Royal license to resume the name of Johnstone in addition to those of Vanden-Bempde. Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone was elected to the House of Commons for Weymouth in 1790, a seat he held until 1796. In 1795 he was created a Baronet, of Hackness Hall in the North Riding of the County of York. He died in July 1807, aged 74, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John. His grandson Sir Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 3rd Baronet, was raised to the peerage as Baron Derwent in 1881.

Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 1st Baronet (21 September 1732 – 14 July 1807) was a British Member of Parliament.

Born Richard Johnstone he was the son of Colonel John Johnstone (d. 1741), second son of Sir William Johnstone, 2nd Baronet, of Westerhall. His mother was Charlotte, daughter of John van den Bempde of Hackness Hall in Hackness, near Scarborough, Yorkshire. In 1793 he assumed by Act of Parliament his maternal grandfather's surname of Vanden-Bempde but in 1795 he was authorised by Royal license to resume the name of Johnstone in addition to those of Vanden-Bempde. Vanden-Bampde-Johnstone was elected to the House of Commons for Weymouth in 1790, a seat he held until 1796. In 1795 he was created a Baronet, of Hackness Hall in the North Riding of the County of York. He died in July 1807, aged 74, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son John. His grandson Sir Harcourt Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone, 3rd Baronet, was raised to the peerage as Baron Derwent in 1881.