Sir William Strickland, 4th Baronet facts for kids
Sir William Strickland, 4th Baronet (born around 1686, died September 1, 1735), was an important English landowner and politician. He lived at Boynton in East Riding of Yorkshire. Sir William was a member of the Whig political party and served in the House of Commons (which is like today's Parliament) from 1708 until he died in 1735. He also worked as a government minister for Sir Robert Walpole, who was a very powerful leader at the time.
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Early Life and Family
William Strickland was the oldest son of Sir William Strickland, who was also a landowner and a Member of Parliament (MP) from Yorkshire. His mother was Elizabeth Palmes. The family lived at Boynton Hall, a large estate near Scarborough.
Starting His Political Career
In 1708, there was a big election in Britain. Sir William's father, who had been an MP for the town of Malton, was chosen to represent the larger area of Yorkshire. This was a very important job! Because his father moved to a new role, young William Strickland was able to take his father's place as the MP for Malton. From the very beginning, he was a strong supporter of the Whig party and was known as a great speaker.
His Time in Parliament
Sir William Strickland was the MP for Malton until 1715. After that, he represented Carlisle from 1715 to 1722. Finally, he became the MP for Scarborough, a role he held for the last thirteen years of his life.
Becoming a Government Minister
When his father passed away in 1724, Sir William inherited the family title, called a baronetcy, and also Boynton Hall. He became good friends with Robert Walpole, who was the most powerful politician in the government. Because of this friendship, Sir William was given several important jobs.
From 1725 to 1727, he was a Lord of the Treasury, which meant he helped manage the country's money. He also became the Treasurer of the Household for the Queen. In 1729, he led a special group in Parliament that looked at how to improve the legal system.
In 1730, when Robert Walpole changed some of his government roles, Sir William was chosen for a very important job: Secretary at War. This role was almost as important as being in the main group of ministers, called the cabinet. At the same time, he was made a Privy Counsellor, which is a special advisor to the King. He held this important job until May 1735, when he had to retire because he was very ill.
Changes to Boynton Hall
Even though he was busy with politics, Sir William spent a lot of money making big changes to Boynton Hall. He hired famous designers like Lord Burlington to create a new front for the house and William Kent to design the rooms inside.
However, when he came back from London to see the work, he was very upset! The local builders had not followed Lord Burlington's plans. The house looked very different from what he expected, especially the roof, which was "old-fashioned" instead of the stylish design he wanted.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir William Strickland passed away on September 1, 1735, at Boynton Hall. He had married Catherine Sambrooke in 1723. They had one son, George, who took over the family title, and one daughter. His wife lived for more than thirty years after he died, passing away in 1767.
Images for kids
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Boynton Hall, the family home of the Strickland baronets.
