MARCH PHILLIPPS, Charles (1779-1862), of Garendon Park, Leics.

March Phillipps’s father became, by inheritance, the head of an old Leicestershire family whose surname he adopted, and in 1798 aspired to the county representation.Gent. Mag. (1862), i. 788; Rutland mss, Beaufort to Rutland, 11 Oct. 1798. Nothing came of this, but in 1818 his heir, worth between £10,000 and £12,000 a year, achieved it under controversial circumstances.See LEICESTERSHIRE. He was understood to be ‘in opposition’ to the Liverpool administrationFitzwilliam mss, box 93, Milton to Lady Fitzwilliam, 2 July 1818. and his voting conduct in the ensuing Parliament was certainly as steady as that of a regular Whig, apart from his vote on 29 Mar. 1819 and three weeks’ leave from 2 Apr. On 29 Mar. he was one of eight Members who joined the minority on the second division on Wyndham Quin: ‘They voted with the majority on the first division because they were desirous that the resolution which stated the circumstances of extenuation should precede the resolution of censure, and excuse the House from not proceeding to expulsion’.Morning Chron. 3 Apr. 1819. He had nothing to say in debate. He voted for criminal law reform, 2 Mar.; against public lotteries, 4 May and 9 June; for burgh reform, 6 May; for the extension of the franchise at Penryn, 22 June, and for Burdett’s reform motion, 1 July. He also supported Brougham’s motion for inquiry into the abuse of charitable foundations, 23 June. In the next session he voted for Althorp’s motion, 30 Nov., for the limitation of the duration of the seditious meetings bill, 6 Dec., and against the seizure of arms bill, 14 Dec. 1819.

In 1820 Legh Keck, the Member whose panicky retirement at the previous election had let March Phillipps in, turned the tables on him, though he eventually regained the seat. He declined an invitation to contest Nottingham instead. He died 24 Apr. 1862.