Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend

Who was Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend?

Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, known as Lord Lynn from 1723 to 1738, was a British politician.

Townshend was the eldest son of the 2nd Viscount Townshend and was educated at Eton and King's College, Cambridge. After graduating, he entered the Commons when he succeeded his uncle as Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth in 1722. He held the seat until a year later, when he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's barony of Townshend. As his father was already Lord Townshend, Charles was styled Lord Lynn after the barony's territorial designation of Lynn Regis. Townshend then became Master of the Jewel Office and Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk in 1730 and succeeded to his father's titles in 1738.

On 29 May 1723, Townshend had married Audrey Harrison and their surviving children were George, later Marquess Townshend and Charles.