Henry Worsley (diplomat) facts for kids

Henry Worsley (born 1672, died 1740) was an important English person. He was an Army officer, a diplomat, and a politician. He served in the British Parliament from 1705 to 1715. He started as a Whig, which was a political group, and later became a Tory, another political group. Henry Worsley was also an ambassador to Portugal and the Governor of Barbados.

Early Life and Education

Henry Worsley was born in 1672. He was the second son of Sir Robert Worsley, a well-known person from the Isle of Wight. His mother was Mary Herbert. Henry went to Lincoln's Inn in 1690, which was a place for studying law. He also studied at St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, in the same year.

Army Adventures

Henry Worsley joined the Army in 1689 as an ensign. This was a low-ranking officer position. He became a lieutenant in 1693. He fought in battles in Scotland and a place called Flanders. He was part of important battles like Landen and Namur.

In 1693, he moved to a different army group and became a captain. Later, in 1700, he joined the 1st Foot Guards. He kept getting promoted, becoming a captain and then a lieutenant-colonel by 1708.

Political and Diplomatic Roles

In 1705, Henry Worsley became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Newtown, Isle of Wight. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the government. He was a Whig at this time. He wasn't very active in Parliament because he was still an army officer. In 1705, he also became a member of the Royal Society, a famous group for scientists.

In 1708, Henry left the Army. He was supposed to be an envoy to the King of Spain, but he never went. He was re-elected as an MP for Newtown in 1708. He was known as a "Court Whig," meaning he supported the government's ideas. He voted for new laws, like allowing people from Palatine to become British citizens. He also voted to remove a doctor named Sacheverell from his job.

After the 1710 election, a different political group, the Tories, took power. Henry Worsley then switched and joined the Tory side. He became part of a group called the October Club. In 1711, he was called a "worthy patriot" for finding problems with the previous government.

In 1711, Henry Worsley traveled to Hanover to explain peace plans. He was offered a permanent job there, but he turned it down because it didn't pay enough. In 1713, he voted for a bill about trade with France. He was seen as a Tory who sometimes voted with the Whigs.

He was re-elected as an MP for Newtown in 1713. Soon after, he was chosen to be the Envoy to Portugal. An envoy is like an ambassador, representing their country in another. He arrived in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1714. He kept his job even when a new king, George I, came to power. He stayed in Portugal until 1722.

In 1721, Henry Worsley was given another big job: Governor of Barbados. Barbados is an island country. He arrived there in 1723 and served as governor until 1731. He was removed from this job after some complaints were made against him.

Henry Worsley never married. He passed away on March 15, 1740.