WILKINSON, Andrew (1697-1784), of Boroughbridge Hall, Yorks.

Andrew Wilkinson’s father, Charles, the Yorkshire estate agent of successive Dukes of Newcastle, was appointed receiver-general of the land tax for Yorkshire, Northumberland and Durham, jointly with his nephew, Thomas, in 1718. From Thomas’s death that year, Charles was sole receiver till he resigned in 1727, when Northumberland and Durham were detached from Yorkshire, which was divided into two parts, Andrew becoming receiver for the West Riding.Cal. Treas. Bks. xxxii. 355; Cal. Treas. Bks. and Pprs. 1729-30, pp. 428, 468; T 1/274, f. 229. Soon afterwards it came out that Charles had become indebted to the Government for over £30,000, of which only part proved recoverable, most of the family property having been settled on Andrew when he married in 1723.Lond. Mag. 1735, p. 628.

Because of Charles Wilkinson’s defalcations—he spent the rest of his life as a Crown debtor in Newgate, where he died in November 1735Cal. Treas. Bks. and Pprs. 1729-30, pp. 89, 95.—the Treasury hesitated to renew Andrew’s appointment, but relented on receiving a letter from his father-in-law, William Jessop, offering to stand security for him. Succeeding his father as Newcastle’s estate agent and manager for Aldborough and Boroughbridge, he claimed before the general election of 1734 that he was ‘importuned’ by many Boroughbridge voters to stand for the borough and that this would strengthen the Duke’s interest. Newcastle wished him to wait till the Aldborough seat of his father-in-law, Jessop, became vacant, pointing out that if he were returned he would have to give up his place, which was not compatible with a seat in the House of Commons. Resigning his office, he was returned on Jessop’s death a few months later, subsequently being provided with another place by Newcastle. The 2nd Lord Egmont listed him, c.1749-50, as ‘one of the most obnoxious men of inferior degree’.Wilkinson to Newcastle, 18 Mar. and 7 Apr. 1734, Add. 32689, ff. 172, 184; T. Lawson-Tancred, Recs. of a Yorks. Manor, 278-81; Cal. Treas. Bks. and Pprs. 1731-4, p. 545. He died 29 Mar. 1784.