GASCOYNE, Bamber (?1758-1824), of Childwall Hall, Liverpool

The Childwall Hall estates of Gascoyne’s mother gave him a considerable interest at Liverpool, and in 1780 he was returned after a contest. In the House he followed his father’s line. He consistently supported Administration till the fall of North; voted against Shelburne’s peace preliminaries, 18 Feb. 1783, but also against Fox’s East India bill, 27 Nov. 1783; and next adhered to Pitt.

Gascoyne spoke frequently in the House, especially on matters affecting Liverpool. In May 1788, in a debate on the slave trade, Gascoyne and his fellow Member, Lord Penrhyn, were the only two Members who attempted to justify the African trade. Abolition Gascoyne thought ‘unnecessary, visionary and impracticable’, though he admitted that ‘some regulations might be beneficially adopted’.Stockdale, xiv. 284-5; Wraxall, v. 120. But on 26 May, after consulting his constituents, he declared that the regulating bill ‘was not likely to be productive of any good consequences whatever’, and on 4 July said that if the bill ‘would not quite ruin the trade, it would so cramp and fetter it, that it would in all probability throw it into the hands of our natural rivals’.Stockdale, xv. 224-5. Henceforth he spoke frequently in defence of the trade; denied that any abuses existed, and on 12 May 1789 said that he was persuaded that the slave trade ‘might be made a much greater source of revenue and riches to this country, than as it stood at present’.Ibid. xvii. 216-17.

He died 17 Jan. 1824.