William Cheyne, 2nd Viscount Newhaven facts for kids
William Cheyne, 2nd Viscount Newhaven (born July 14, 1657 – died May 26, 1728) was an important English politician. He belonged to the Tory political group. He was also a "peer," which means he held a special noble title called a viscount. For many years, he worked in the House of Commons of England, which is like a parliament where elected officials make laws. Later, because he had a Scottish noble title, he had to move to the House of Lords, another part of the parliament.
Contents
William Cheyne's Story
Early Life and Family
William Cheyne was the son of Charles Cheyne, 1st Viscount Newhaven. His mother was Lady Jane Cavendish. Her father was the first Duke of Newcastle, a very important person at the time.
A Career in Politics
William Cheyne started his political journey in 1681. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Amersham. He served there for several years.
Later, he was elected as an MP for Appleby in 1689. He continued to serve in parliament, representing different areas. In 1696, he became the MP for Buckinghamshire. He was elected for Amersham three times during this period, but he chose to represent Buckinghamshire instead.
In 1698, his father passed away. William then inherited his father's title and the family's lands in Chelsea.
Important Roles and Changes
William Cheyne was re-elected as an MP for Buckinghamshire in 1702. He also held an important local role as Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire for six months. This job meant he was the King's representative in the county.
In 1703, he received a special job called "Clerk of the Pipe." This was a position that paid money but didn't require much work. He kept this job for a few years.
A big change happened in 1707 with the Acts of Union 1707. These acts joined England and Scotland. Because William Cheyne had a Scottish noble title, he was then required to sit in the House of Lords instead of the House of Commons.
Even after this, he stayed involved in politics. In 1711, he got his "Clerk of the Pipe" job back for life. In 1712, he was again made Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. However, he lost this role when King George I became king in 1714.
His Legacy
In 1712, William Cheyne sold his family's lands in Chelsea to a famous person named Sir Hans Sloane. A well-known street in London, Cheyne Walk, was named after him.
William Cheyne passed away on May 26, 1728. He did not have any children. He was buried in Drayton Beauchamp in Buckinghamshire. He was the last person in the Cheyne family line. The town of Chenies in Buckinghamshire is also named after his family.
