Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker

Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker MP, DL
Member of Parliament for South Essex
In office 4 April 1857[1] – 1859
Preceded by	Sir William Bowyer-Smijth, 11th Baronet
Succeeded by	John Watlington Perry Watlington
Member of Parliament for South Essex
In office 16 Nov 1868[1] – 1874
Preceded by	Henry Selwin-Ibbetson, 1st Baron Rookwood
Succeeded by	Thomas Baring
Personal details
Born	1802
Died	25 March 1880
Political party	Liberal
Spouse(s)	Margaret Maria Hanmer
Alma mater	Christ Church, Oxford
Profession	Barrister

Richard Baker Wingfield-Baker (sometimes Richard Baker Wingfield Baker or Richard Wingfield Baker; born Richard Baker Wingfield) (1802^[2] – 25 March 1880) MP, DL, was a Liberal Party politician, High Sheriff and Deputy Lieutenant in the English county of Essex.^[3][4] Like his father, maternal grandfather, half-brother, and brother-in-law, Wingfield-Baker served as a Member of Parliament.

Early years

His parents were William Wingfield 1772 - 1858), MP for Bodmin, and Lady Charlotte-Maria (died 1807), eldest daughter of Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby. Wingfield-Baker's siblings were: George-Digby (who succeeded to the estates of the Earl Digby),^[5] John-Digby, Mary, Caroline (who married Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham),^[6] and Frances-Eliza.

After his father's second marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of William Mills of Bisterne, Hampshire, Wingfield-Baker there were several half-siblings including:Charles John Wingfield Member of Parliament for Gravesend, William-Wriothesley-Digby (Vicar of Gulval), Frederick, Henry, Kenelm-Digby, and Julia.

Wingfield-Baker entered Rugby School in 1815.^[7] He began his studies at Christ Church, Oxford in 1820, and received a BA degree from in 1827.

Career

Wingfield-Baker became a Barrister at law at Inner Temple in 1827.

He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Essex on 14 September 1852^[4] under Benjamin Mildmay, Lord Lieutenant of Essex, and in 1867 served as High Sheriff of Essex.^[2][8] Wingfield-Baker held the position of Chairman of the Quarter Sessions.^[2][9] For a time, he was Secretary to the Lord Chancellor Cottenham,^[10] his sister Caroline's husband.

Wingfield-Baker, a Liberal, was elected a Member of Parliament for South Essex twice, first for the period of 1857-1859 and again 1868-1874.^[3][11][12]

His military service was with the 2nd Essex Volunteer Artillery, being promoted captain on 13 September 1860.^[13] In June 1864, he became Captain Commandant.^[14]

Personal life

Richard Baker was a relative by marriage. Upon his (fathers) death - in 1827, William Wingfield inherited the John Baker title. Upon the death of Richard Baker's widow in 1849, the remainder of the estate, including the Orsett title,^[15] also passed to William Wingfield who, in the same year, legally changed his surname to Wingfield-Baker by Royal licensure.^[16] Upon the death of William Wingfield on 21 March 1858, his son, Richard Baker Wingfield, inherited the estate and assumed the additional surname of Baker.^[17]

Wingfield-Baker of Orsett Hall had a second residence at 2 Lowndes Square, London SW. He also owned land in Stoke Damerel, Devon.^[18]

Wingfield-Baker married Margaret Maria Hanmer, daughter of Lt.-Col. Thomas Hanmer and Arabella Charlotte Bucknall, in 1837, and sister of John Hanmer, 1st Baron Hanmer. They had at least one child, a son, Captain Digby Hanmer Wingfield (d. 1884). Wingfield-Baker died in 1880 from injuries sustained in hunting accident.^[19]

Upon Wingfield-Baker's death on 25 March 1880,^[20] his only son succeeded him.

References

1. "The House of Commons Constituencies Beginning with "E"". leighrayment.com. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
2. The Law times, Volume 46. Office of The Law times. 1869. p. 105.
3. University of Oxford (1888). Alumni Oxonienses: the members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886 : their parentage, birthplace and year of birth, with a record of their degrees : being the Matriculation Register of the University, Volume 4. Joseph Foster. p. 1588.
4. The London Gazette: no. 21361. p. 2547. 24 September 1852. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
5. Coller, Duffield William (1861). The people's history of Essex: comprising a narrative of public and political events in the county, from the earliest ages to the present time : the hundreds and boroughs, with descriptive sketches of their antiquities and ruins, the seats of the nobility and gentry, and an epitome of the ... (Digitized 6 Sep 2007 ed.). Meggy and Chalk. p. 510.
6. Pepys, Sir William Weller (1904). Alice Cecilia Caroline Gaussen, ed. A later Pepys: the correspondence of Sir William Weller Pepys, bart., master in chancery 1758-1825 2 (Digitized 5 Dec 2008 ed.). John Lane. p. 55.
7. Rugby School register: from 1675 to 1849 inclusive, Volume 1 (Digitized 20 Apr 2007). A.J. Lawrence. 1881. p. 125.
8. The London Gazette: no. 23215. p. 211. 2 February 1867. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
9. Law magazine and law review, Volume 5 (Digitized 1 Apr 2008). Butterworths. 1880. p. 315.
10. Dod's parliamentary companion (Digitized 25 Jul 2008 ed.). Dod's Parliamentary Companion Ltd. 1872. p. 160.
11. The London Gazette: no. 21986. p. 1265. 7 April 1857. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
12. The London Gazette: no. 23446. p. 6402. 1 December 1868. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
13. The London Gazette: no. 22424. p. 3438. 21 September 1860. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
14. The London Gazette: no. 22863. p. 3075. 14 June 1864. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
15. Leach, Norma. "Orsett Hall". thurrock-history.org.uk.
16. Burke, Sir Bernard (1858). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain and Ireland 1 (Digitized 5 Jun 2008 ed.). Harrison. p. 42.
17. The London Gazette: no. 22444. p. 4108. 6 November 1860. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
18. The London Gazette: no. 22915. p. 5851. 25 November 1864. Retrieved 14 May 2010.
19. Podmore, Frank (1897). Studies in psychical research (Digitized 19 Mar 2009). Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner & Co. p. 242.
20. The London Gazette: no. 24865. p. 4059. 20 July 1880. Retrieved 14 May 2010.