Sir Robert Worsley, 4th Baronet facts for kids
Sir Robert Worsley, 4th Baronet (born around 1669, died 1747) was an important British politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is a part of the British Parliament, from 1715 to 1722. He inherited his title and family estate at a young age and later became known for rebuilding his family home, Appuldurcombe House.
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Early Life and Family
Robert Worsley was the oldest son of Sir Robert Worsley, 3rd Baronet. His family lived at a place called Appuldurcombe. When he was only seven years old, in 1676, his father passed away. Robert then inherited the title of Baronet and the family estate.
A Baronet is a special title that is passed down through families, similar to a knight but hereditary.
When he was 15, in 1684, Robert went to Christ Church, Oxford, a famous university. Later, in 1690, he married Frances Thynne. Her father was Thomas Thynne, 1st Viscount Weymouth.
Rebuilding Appuldurcombe House
Sir Robert Worsley was a Deputy Lieutenant for Hampshire from 1699 to 1702. This was a role helping the main county official.
In 1702, Sir Robert began a big project: rebuilding Appuldurcombe House. This house had been in his family for a very long time, since 1527. He hired a famous architect named John James to design the new house. Sadly, Sir Robert never saw the house completely finished during his lifetime.
Political Career
Sir Robert Worsley had a strong connection to the parliamentary area of Newtown (Isle of Wight). His brother, Henry, was the Member of Parliament (MP) for this area starting in 1705. However, Henry was sent to Portugal in 1713 to be an Ambassador.
In the 1715 general election, Sir Robert took his brother's place. He became the MP for Newtown. He was considered a Tory, which was one of the main political groups at the time. Even so, he often voted with the Whigs, another political group. He supported some government plans, like the Peerage Bill. But he voted against others, such as the Septennial Bill. This bill changed how long Parliament could last.
Sir Robert did not run for election again in 1722. His brother Henry had another important job, becoming the Governor of Barbados.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir Robert Worsley passed away on July 29, 1747. He had seven daughters who survived him, but no sons. Because he had no male heir, his title of Baronet went to his cousin, Sir James Worsley, 5th Baronet.
He left his land in Hampshire to his grandson, Robert Carteret, 3rd Earl Granville. Appuldurcombe House, which he had started building, was passed on to his cousin James's son, Sir Thomas Worsley, 6th Baronet.
A special monument was built to remember Sir Robert. It stands on Stenbury Down, looking over the beautiful house he began.
