Sir William Gostwick, 4th Baronet facts for kids

Sir William Gostwick, 4th Baronet (born August 21, 1650 – died January 24, 1720), was an English politician. He was a member of the Whig party. Sir William served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bedfordshire. He held this important role from 1698 to 1713.

Sir William's Early Years

Sir William Gostwick was born on August 21, 1650. He was the second son of Sir Edward Gostwick, 3rd Baronet and Mary Lytton. He was the oldest son who lived to become an adult. Sir William had five brothers and two sisters. He was the only one of his siblings who got married.

His family had a history of important people. His grandfather, Sir Edward Gostwick, 2nd Baronet, and his great-grandfather, Sir William Gostwick, 1st Baronet, were also well-known.

Sir William went to school in Hadley, Middlesex. Later, in 1667, he went to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge to continue his education.

His Political Life

Sir William Gostwick was knighted on November 24, 1668. This was an honor given by the King. He became the 4th Baronet on February 24, 1671, after his father passed away.

In 1676, he was chosen as a Burgess of Bedfordshire. This was a local government role. He also served as the High Sheriff of Bedfordshire from 1679 to 1680. His grandfather and great-grandfather had also held this position before him.

Sir William became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1698. He represented Bedfordshire in the English Parliament. He continued to serve as an MP until 1713. His last recorded vote in Parliament was on June 18, 1713. He voted against a bill about trade with France. He did not run for Parliament again after this time.

Family and Later Life

On September 17, 1668, Sir William Gostwick married Mary Boteler. She was the daughter of Sir Philip Boteler. They had two sons and three daughters together.

Their children included:

• John Gostwick (who died in 1715). He married Martha Hammond.
• Mary Gostwick. She married Edward Nelthorpe.

Sir William Gostwick passed away on January 24, 1720. He died in his home in St Martin-in-the-Fields. He was buried in Willington. His grandson, William, became the next Baronet.

Sir William's will left his estate to his grandson. However, his estate had many debts. The people he chose to manage his estate decided not to do so. Because of this, his grandson did not get much from the inheritance. The estate was eventually sold to pay off the debts. Part of it was sold in 1727, and the rest was sold in 1731. The Duchess of Marlborough bought a large part of the estate.

His Grandchildren

Through his daughter Mary, Sir William was the grandfather of James Nelthorpe. James Nelthorpe lived at Lynford Hall. He also became a Member of Parliament for Tiverton. He served as an MP from 1728 to 1734.