Charles Western, 1st Baron Western

Charles Callis Western, 1st Baron Western (9 August 1767-4 November 1844), was a British landowner and Whig politician. He sat in the House of Commons for over forty years before his elevation to the peerage in 1833.

Background and education

Born at the family seat Rivenhall, Essex,^[1] Western was the son of Charles Western, and Frances Shirley, daughter and heiress of William Bolland.^[2] His father was killed in a chaise accident when Western was four-years-old, in which he was also present.^[3] He was educated at Newcombe's School, Hackney, Eton and Queen's College, Cambridge.^[4] When coming of age in 1788 he inherited the Rivenhall estate, which had been in the Western family since the second half of the 17th century,^[3] and commissioned Humphrey Repton to give the Tudor house a new facade. However, two years later he left Rivenhall to his uncle and purchased Felix Hall in Kelvedon.^[1]

Political career

Western was returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Maldon in 1790, a seat he held until 1806, when he was defeated by Benjamin Gaskell. However, Gaskell was unseated on petition the following year and Western was elected in his place. He continued to represent the constituency until 1812.^[5] The latter year he was returned for Essex, a seat he held until the constituency was abolished in the Great Reform Act of 1832.^[6] In parliament he was a supporter of agricultural and electoral reform.^[1] He lost his seat at the 1832 general election but the following year he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Western, of Rivenhall in the County of Essex.^[7]

Personal life

Lord Western never married and the title became extinct on his death at Felix Hall in November 1844, aged 77. He entailed his estates to his cousin Thomas Western,^[3] who was created a Baronet, of Rivenhall, in 1864.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} rivenhall.org.uk A short history of the Western family
2. ^ Edmund Lodge. The Peerage of the British Empire as at present existing.
3. ^ ^{a b c} maximiliangenealogy.co.uk Lord Western
4. ^ Western, Charles Callis in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.
5. ^ leighrayment.com House of Commons: Macclesfield to Marylebone West
6. ^ leighrayment.com House of Commons: Elginshire to Eye
7. ^ London Gazette: no. 19013. p. 97. 15 January 1833.

External links

•  "Western, Charles Callis". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Western

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by John Strutt Sir Peter Parker, Bt	Member of Parliament for Maldon 1790–1801 With: Joseph Strutt	Succeeded by Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Parliament of Great Britain	Member of Parliament for Maldon 1801–1806 With: Joseph Strutt	Succeeded by Joseph Strutt Benjamin Gaskell
Preceded by Joseph Strutt Benjamin Gaskell	Member of Parliament for Maldon 1807–1812 With: Joseph Strutt	Succeeded by Joseph Strutt Benjamin Gaskell
Preceded by Sir Eliab Harvey John Archer-Houblon	Member of Parliament for Essex 1812–1832 With: John Archer-Houblon 1812–1820 Sir Eliab Harvey 1820–1830 Thomas Gardiner Bramston 1830 Sir John Tyrell, Bt 1830–1831 Hon. William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley 1831–1832	Constituency abolished
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Baron Western 1833–1844	Extinct