Henry Dawnay, 2nd Viscount Downe facts for kids
Henry Dawnay, 2nd Viscount Downe (born June 7, 1664 – died May 21, 1741) was an important English politician. He was known as The Honourable Henry Dawnay for a while before he became a Viscount. He was a member of the Tory party, which was one of the main political groups in England at the time. Henry Dawnay served in the English House of Commons from 1690 to 1707. Later, he was part of the British House of Commons from 1708 to 1727.
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Early Life and Family
Henry Dawnay was born on June 7, 1664. His father was John Dawnay, 1st Viscount Downe. His mother was Dorothy Johnson, who was John's second wife. Dorothy came from a family in Wickham, Lancashire.
Becoming a Politician
Henry Dawnay followed in his father's footsteps in politics. In 1690, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontefract. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the government. He held this position until 1695.
Becoming a Viscount
In 1695, Henry Dawnay's father passed away. Henry then became the 2nd Viscount Downe. A "Viscount" is a noble title, like a lord. This title was part of the Peerage of Ireland. This meant it was an Irish title, not an English one. Because it was an Irish title, it did not give him a seat in the English House of Lords. This was good for his political career in England. It meant he could still be elected to the English House of Commons.
His Time in Parliament
After becoming a Viscount, Henry Dawnay continued his political work. In 1698, he was elected as an MP for Yorkshire. He served in this role until 1700.
He was elected again for Yorkshire in December 1707. He continued to be an MP for Yorkshire in several elections:
- 1708 British general election
- 1710 British general election
- 1713 British general election
- 1715 British general election
- 1722 British general election
He served as an MP until 1727, showing a long and active career in British politics.
Family Life
In 1685, Lord Downe married Mildred Godfrey. She was the daughter of William Godfrey from Thornock, Lincolnshire. Mildred passed away in August 1725. Henry Dawnay remained a widower after her death. He lived until May 1741, passing away at the age of 76.
Henry Dawnay's son, John Dawnay, passed away before him. Because of this, Henry was succeeded in the viscountcy by his grandson, Henry.
