Sir William Clayton, MP

Family and Education b. c.1718, 2nd s. of Sir William Clayton, 1st. Bt., M.P., and bro. of Sir Kenrick, 2nd Bt. educ. M. Temple 1737. m. (1) 30 May 1745, Mary (d. 2 Jan. 1760), da. of John Warde of Squerryes, Kent, 1da.; (2) 3 May 1761, Caroline Mary (d. Dec. 1763), da. and coh. of Rice Lloyd of Alltycadno and Gwaelod-y-maes, Carm., 1s. 1da.; (3) 24 Sept. 1767, Lady Louisa Fermor, da. of Thomas, 1st Earl of Pomfret, 1s.

Offices Held

Biography William Clayton generally followed the lead of his elder brother. He adhered to Newcastle, voted against the peace preliminaries, December 1762, and opposed the Grenville Administration. Rockingham in July 1765 classed him as ‘pro’ and in November 1766 as ‘Whig’, the same as his brother; like him, William Clayton did not vote on the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767, and on 2 Mar. was classed by Newcastle as ‘doubtful or absent’.

He had a considerable interest at Great Marlow, an expensive and corrupt constituency, where he stood contests in 1768, 1774, and 1780. After his brother’s death he supported the Grafton and North Administrations, and the only occasion on which he is known to have voted against the court was on Dunning’s motion, 6 Apr. 1780. Only a few speeches by him are recorded: 21 Feb. 1771, on the Reading canal bill; 27 Mar. 1771, in the debate arising from the attack on North by a mob; 22 Apr. 1771, on the game bill; and three times in May 1780 when he moved for strangers to withdraw. The English Chronicle wrote in 1780 that he was ‘not distinguished for any powers of oratory, or superiority of intellectual attainments’. On 18 Feb. 1783 he voted for Shelburne’s peace preliminaries, and died 3 July 1783.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790 Author: Mary M. Drummond Notes

William Clayton was the son of Sir William Clayton, 1st Bt. and Martha Kenrick.1 He married, firstly, Mary Warde, daughter of John Warde.2 He married, secondly, Maria Eliza Catherine Lloyd, daughter of Rice Lloyd, on 3 May 1761.2 He married, thirdly, Lady Louisa Fermor, daughter of Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl Pomfret, on 24 September 1767.2 He died on 3 July 1783.2

William Clayton lived at Harleyford, Buckinghamshire, England.2 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.).2
Child of William Clayton and Mary Warde

Catherine Clayton b. c 1748, d. 15 Aug 1807.1

Children of William Clayton and Maria Eliza Catherine Lloyd

Marianne Clayton+ d. 15 Oct 1808.1

Sir William Clayton, 4th Bt.+ b. 16 Apr 1762, d. 26 Jan 1834.1

Child of William Clayton and Lady Louisa Fermor

George Clayton+ b. 29 Jun 1768, d. 17 Oct 1828.1

Citations

[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003). Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 813.