Sir William Robinson, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir William Robinson (born November 19, 1655 – died December 22, 1736) was an important English politician. He was the first person in his family to be given the special title of Baronet of Newby-on-Swale, Yorkshire. He was a member of the Whig political party. Sir William served in the English and British Parliament for many years, from 1689 to 1722. He also held the important position of Lord Mayor of York from 1700 to 1701.
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Early Life and Family Background
William Robinson was the oldest son of Thomas Robinson. His father was a successful merchant from York who traded with Turkey. William's mother was Elizabeth Tancred. His family had a long history in York. An earlier William Robinson, also a wealthy merchant, had been Lord Mayor of York and a Member of Parliament during the time of Queen Elizabeth I.
William went to school in York. He then studied at St John's College, Cambridge starting in 1671. Later, in 1674, he joined Gray's Inn, which is a place where people train to become lawyers. In 1676, he took over his father's business and responsibilities. He married Mary Aislabie on September 8, 1679. Her family was from Studley Royal, Yorkshire.
Starting His Political Journey
In December 1688, William Robinson became a Captain in the Yorkshire horse militia. He was involved in a movement led by a man named Danby during the Glorious Revolution. This was a time when there were big changes in how England was governed.
In 1689, William was elected as a Member of Parliament for Northallerton. This meant he represented the people of Northallerton in the English Parliament. He was not super active in Parliament at first. He was also the High Sheriff of Yorkshire for part of 1689.
His uncle, Metcalfe Robinson, had been made a baronet in 1660. But his uncle died in 1689 without any children. This meant the baronet title ended. To bring the title back, William Robinson was made a baronet on February 13, 1690. This is why he is called the "1st Baronet."
His Time in Parliament and as Lord Mayor
Sir William Robinson was re-elected as MP for Northallerton in 1690. Later, he became the MP for York and served there from 1698 until 1722. This was a very long time to be a Member of Parliament!
In the year 1700, he also became the Lord Mayor of York. This was a very important job in the city. He lived in a house called The Red House in York. He had this house built in 1714.
Important Buildings He Commissioned
Sir William Robinson also hired a famous architect named Colen Campbell. He asked Campbell to design a new house called Newby Park house. This house was built in a new style called Palladian. It was finished in 1721 and is now known as Baldersby Park House. It is considered a very important historical building today.
His Legacy and Family
Sir William Robinson passed away on December 22, 1736. He was buried in a place called Topcliffe. He had five sons and one daughter. His oldest son, Metcalfe, sadly died just four days after his father.
Because of this, the baronet title then went to his second son, Tancred. Tancred became a high-ranking officer in the navy, a Rear-Admiral of the White. He was also Lord Mayor of York two times, just like his father.
Sir William's fourth son, Thomas, also became a very important politician. He served as a Secretary of State and was a leader in the House of Commons. In 1761, he was given the special title of Baron Grantham.
