Charles Whitworth (MP)

Sir Charles Whitworth (c. 1721 – 22 August 1778) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons for 31 years from 1747 to 1778. He was known for his expertise in statistics and finance.

Whitworth was the son of Francis Whitworth, Member of Parliament for Minehead from 1723 to 1742 and was educated at Westminster School and at Lincoln's Inn. [1]

Whitworth represented the constituencies of Minehead from 1747 until 1761, and Bletchingley until 1768, in which year he was knighted. He then represented Minehead until 1774, East Looe until 1775 and Saltash until his death in 1778. He served in the army for a short time and was made lieutenant-governor of Gravesend and Tilbury for life in 1758. [1]

The major contribution made by Sir Charles to the statistics of Great Britain consisted of the production of the first complete Balance of Trade (Visible trade) for the country together with individual commercial accounts of Great Britain and all known countries during the period 1697–1773, a major task he completed two years before his death.[2]

Whitworth was a founder member of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce in 1754.

He married Martha, the daughter of Richard Shelley, a commissioner of the stamp office. He had three sons and four daughters, and his heir was his eldest son, Charles Whitworth, 1st Earl Whitworth.

References

  1. "WHITWORTH, Charles (c.1721-78), of Leybourne, Kent and Blackford, nr. Minehead, Som". History of Parliament. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  2. Whitworth, Sir Charles (1776). State of the Trade of Great Britain in its Imports and Exports, Progressively from the Year 1697: also of the Trade to each particular Country during the above period, distinguishing each Year. London: G. Robinson. pp. 1–250.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Thomas Carew
John Periam
Member of Parliament for Minehead
1747–1761
With: Percy Wyndham-O'Brien 1747–54
Daniel Boone 1754–61
Succeeded by
Henry Shiffner
The Earl of Thomond
Preceded by
Sir Kenrick Clayton
William Clayton
Member of Parliament for Bletchingley
1761–1768
With: Sir Kenrick Clayton
Succeeded by
Sir Kenrick Clayton
Robert Clayton
Preceded by
Henry Shiffner
The Earl of Thomond
Member of Parliament for Minehead
1768–1774
With: Henry Fownes-Luttrell
Succeeded by
Henry Fownes-Luttrell
John Fownes Luttrell
Preceded by
John Buller
John Burling
Member of Parliament for East Looe
1774–1775
With: John Buller
Succeeded by
John Buller
Thomas Graves
Preceded by
Thomas Bradshaw
Grey Cooper
Member of Parliament for Saltash
1775–1778
With: Grey Cooper
Succeeded by
Grey Cooper
Henry Strachey


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