TOWNSHEND, Hon. John Thomas (1764-1831).

Townshend was removed to the Admiralty board when his father resigned the Home Office in 1789. He came in on the family interest for Whitchurch at the ensuing election. In 1791 he was listed among opponents of repeal of the Test Act in Scotland. In 1793 he was transferred to the Treasury board. He of course supported Pitt’s administration, voting for his assessed taxes, 4 Jan. 1798, and acting as ministerial teller on 20 June 1798, but he is not known to have uttered a syllable in the House. On his father’s death in 1800 he became a courtier. Both his wives died in childbed. He was patron of Whitchurch and, until 1812, of one seat for Ludgershall. He died 20 Jan 1831.Gent. Mag. (1831), i. 267.