Thomas Townshend

Who was Thomas Townshend?

The Honourable Thomas Townshend was a long-standing British Member of Parliament.

Townshend was the second son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, from his first marriage to the Hon. Elizabeth Pelham. Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, William Townshend and Roger Townshend were his brothers while George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, Charles Townshend and Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning, his nephews. He was educated at Eton, and King's College, Cambridge.

Townshend sat in the British House of Commons for Winchelsea between 1722 and 1727. In the elections of 1727, he stood contemporaneously for Hastings and Cambridge University. He had success in both constituencies and chose to represent Cambridge, a seat he held until 1774. Townshend was also for some years private secretary to his father as well as a Teller of the Exchequer between 1727 and 1780.

Townshend married Albinia, daughter of John Selwyn, in 1730. Their son Thomas became a prominent politician and was created Viscount Sydney in 1789. Albinia died in 1739. Townshend survived her by over 40 years and died in May 1780, aged 78.