NORTHEY, William (c.1721-70), of Compton Bassett, nr. Calne, Wilts.

In 1747 William Northey bought the prebend manor of Calne,Wilts. Arch. Mag. xliii. 28; Wilts. N. Q. viii. 150-51. carrying with it one of the Calne seats, for which he was returned that year. In Parliament he was one of the Tories who consorted with Leicester House. About 1750 the 2nd Lord Egmont wrote of him in his electoral survey:

He wishes us well and is likely to take a part in employment with us. He is one of the best of the young men as to the hopes of parliamentary abilities. He has pretty good parts and a good deal of application and some turn this way. But he is still a little affected with projects of wild reformation though not desperately.

Egmont put him down for a seat at the board of Trade in Frederick’s reign.

In November 1751 Northey spoke in favour of a proposal to reduce the army to 15,000 men. In January 1752 he seconded a motion against subsidy treaties in time of peace, and on 28 Feb. and 4 Mar. he spoke against the bill for purchasing forfeited estates in Scotland.Walpole, Mems. Geo. II, i. 213, 254, 257, 260. After again proposing the reduction of the army to 15,000 men in January 1753,Coxe, Pelham, ii. 241. he warmly opposed the bill for the naturalization of the Jews in May, and on its repeal in the next session twitted ministers for their lack of ‘deep penetration or great foresight’.Parl. Hist. xv. 145. In the next reign he was one of the Tories who accepted office. He died 24 Dec. 1770, aged 49.Genealogist, n.s. x. 178.