William Bromley-Davenport (1821–1884)

William Bromley-Davenport (20 August 1821 – 15 June 1884), also known as Davenport and Davenport-Bromley, was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1864 to 1884.

"Clever"
Bromley-Davenport as caricatured by Spy (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, May 1877

Biography

Bromley-Davenport was the son of Rev. Walter Davenport of Wootton Hall, Staffordshire and his first wife, Caroline Barbara Gooch, daughter of Archdeacon Gooch. His father adopted the additional surname Bromley in 1822. As Davenport-Bromley, William was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, Oxford. He was a Lieutenant Colonel of the Staffordshire Yeomanry Cavalry and a Deputy Lieutenant and J.P. for Warwickshire and Staffordshire.[1]

In 1864 Davenport-Bromley was elected at a by-election as a Member of Parliament (MP) for North Warwickshire. In 1868 he changed his name by Royal Licence to Bromley-Davenport. He held the seat of North Warwickshire until his death at the age of 62 in 1884.[2]

He collapsed and died of a heart attack while seeking to quell disturbances in Lichfield caused by members of his Staffordshire Yeomanry Cavalry. They were on a training week under his command but indulged in riotous behaviour, including storming the stage in a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's Princess Ida and blackening the face on the statue of Samuel Johnson.[3]

Family

Bromley-Davenport married Augusta Elizabeth Campbell, daughter of Walter Campbell of Islay in 1858.[1] Their son William was a soldier and politician.

References
  1. Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1881; accessed 18 April 2016.
  2. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 1)
  3. Bromley Family extract, The Times, 17 June 1884.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Richard Spooner
Charles Newdigate Newdegate		 Member of Parliament for North Warwickshire
1864 – 1884
With: Charles Newdigate Newdegate		 Succeeded by
Philip Muntz
Charles Newdigate Newdegate


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