FARRER, William (?1656-1737), of Biddenham, Beds.

The Farrers, a legal family of the Inner Temple, acquired Harrold in 1556, intermarrying with the Botelers of Biddenham, an ancient Bedfordshire family.VCH Beds. iii. 37, 66; VCH Bucks. iv. 325. William Farrer, after representing Bedford as a Whig on the Russell interest under William III and Anne, was again returned at contested elections in 1715 and 1722, voting with the Administration in all recorded divisions. Throughout this period he acted as chairman of supply and ways and means, except for a short time when, having been taken very ill in the chair of the supply committee, he was replaced temporarily by Sir Charles Turner,Knatchbull Diary, 2 Dec. 1724. who succeeded him when he retired from Parliament in 1727. He died 12 Apr. 1737.