Richard, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe, by Joshua Reynolds.
Arms of Edgcumbe, Earls of Mount Edgcumbe: Gules, on a bend ermines cotised or three boar's heads couped argent

Richard Edgcumbe, 2nd Baron Edgcumbe PC (2 August 1716 – 10 May 1761) was a British nobleman and politician.

The eldest surviving son of Richard Edgcumbe, 1st Baron Edgcumbe and his wife Matilda Furnese, he was educated at Eton from 1725 to 1732. Through his father's interest in Devon and Cornwall, he was returned as Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle at a by-election in 1742 as a Government supporter.[1]

Edgcumbe was a heavy gambler, losing "daily twenty guineas" at White's. He was given a secret service pension of £500 a year by Henry Pelham to provide for him. Meanwhile, he was made a capital burgess of Lostwithiel in 1743 and served as mayor the next year. He switched his seat to Lostwithiel in 1747. Dissatisfied with subsisting on Government charity, he unsuccessfully made an application to Pelham for employment, rather than a pension, in 1752. He was eventually made a Lord of Trade in 1754, when he was returned for Penryn and the next year, a Lord of the Admiralty instead, serving for a year. In 1756, he was appointed Comptroller of the Household and was again mayor of Lostwithiel, being appointed to the Privy Council on 19 November. Succeeding his father in 1758, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall in 1759 and recorder of Plympton Erle. He died childless in 1761 and was succeeded by his brother.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Cruickshanks, Eveline (1970). "EDGCUMBE, Hon. Richard (1716–61), of Mount Edgcumbe, nr. Plymouth, Devon.". In Sedgwick, Romney (ed.). The House of Commons 1715-1754. The History of Parliament Trust.
Parliament of Great Britain Preceded byThomas ClutterbuckThe Lord Sundon Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle 1742–1747 With: The Lord Sundon 1742–1747George Edgcumbe 1747 Succeeded byGeorge TrebyWilliam Baker Preceded bySir John CrosseSir Robert Cotton Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel 1747–1754 With: James Edward Colleton Succeeded byJames Edward ColletonThomas Clarke Preceded byGeorge BoscawenHenry Seymour Conway Member of Parliament for Penryn 1754–1758 With: George Boscawen Succeeded byGeorge BoscawenJohn Plumptre Political offices Preceded byLord Hobart Comptroller of the Household 1756–1761 Succeeded byThe Earl of Powis Honorary titles Preceded byThe 1st Lord Edgcumbe Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall 1759–1761 Succeeded byThe 3rd Lord Edgcumbe Peerage of Great Britain Preceded byRichard Edgcumbe Baron Edgcumbe 1758–1761 Succeeded byGeorge Edgcumbe
Categories