Sir William Codrington, MP, 1st Baronet of Dodington

Family and Education 1st s. of John Codrington of Barbados by Elizabeth, da. of Col. William Bates of Barbados. m. 12 Mar. 1718, Elizabeth, da. of William Bethell of Swindon, Yorks., sis and coh. of Slingsby Bethell, 7s. 5da. suc. fa. 1702;1 his cos. Christopher Codrington in Dodington and West Indian estates 1710. cr. Bt. 21 Apr. 1721.

Offices Held

Biography The founder of this branch of the Codrington family migrated in 1628 to Barbados, where he and his two sons made great fortunes, which were inherited by his grandson, William Codrington.2 Returning to England, William Codrington took up his residence at Dodington Park, was created a baronet in 1721, contested Banbury unsuccessfully in 1722, and stood for Minehead in 1727. Again defeated, he presented a petition, which had not been heard by 18 Mar. 1730, when the Government moved to close the elections committee. According to the 1st Lord Egmont,

the secret of this is that Sir Will Codrington, a petitioner for Minehead, is not agreeable to the court, and the ministry are desirous to keep in Mr. Francis Whitworth, against whom Sir William petitions.3 An amendment for deferring the closing of the committee until after Codrington’s petition had been heard was defeated by 145 to 5.4

In 1734 Codrington contested Ilchester unsuccessfully. Returned at last for Minehead at a contested by-election, he died next year, 17 Dec. 1738, leaving £25,000 to each of his five daughters, one of whom married William Dowdeswell.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754 Author: Shirley Matthews Notes 1. Bristol & Glos. Arch. Soc. Trans. xxi. 336 n. 1. 2. Oliver, Antigua, i. 144-5, 150-2. 3. HMC Egmont Diary, i. 81. 4. CJ, xxi. 504.