Sir William Bellingham, 1st Baronet

Sir William Bellingham, 1st Baronet (c. 1756 – 27 October 1826)[1] was an Irish-born British politician and the controller of the storekeepers' accounts for the Royal Navy. Bellingham was charged with organizing and procuring provisions for the Vancouver Expedition. Though he never saw the Pacific Ocean, Bellingham Bay and the city of Bellingham, Washington, are named for him.

Early life

Hester Bellingham (Henry Edridge)
Castle Bellingham, Co. Louth

William Bellingham was the son of Col. Alan Bellingham (of Castlebellingham) and Alice Montgomery,[2] daughter of Rev. Hans Montgomery[2] of Grey Abbey House, Co. Down. Bellingham was one of four siblings (O'Bryen, Thomas, and Alan).[3]

He attended Trinity College, Dublin, graduating in 1778 as a Bachelor of Arts.[2] In 1783 he married Hester Frances Cholmondeley (1763-1844),[2] granddaughter of George Cholmondeley, 3rd Earl of Cholmondeley.

Career

Bellingham moved to Reigate, Surrey, and from 1784 through 1789 held the elected office of Member of Parliament in the House of Commons.

In 1789 he was appointed commissioner for the victualling of the Royal Navy,[2] with the specific designation of Controller of the Storekeepers' Accounts.[4] During this time he oversaw the provisioning of George Vancouver's expedition along the West Coast of North America. Bellingham Bay was named by Vancouver in his honor. Later the city of Bellingham, Washington was also named for him

He became the private secretary of the Right Honourable William Pitt, and was created a baronet, of Castle Bellingham on 19 April 1796.[5] He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and was Receiver General of the Land and Assessed Taxe of London.

He died in 1826 and was buried in the family vault at St Mary's Church of Ireland, Kilsaran Parish, in Castleybellingham.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Lundy, Darryl. "William Bellingham". The Peerage.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Cokayne, George Edward (editor). The Complete Baronetage. Vol. 5. Gloucester: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983.
  3. ↑ Mosley, Charles (editor). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes. Vol. 1. Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books), Ltd, 2003.
  4. ↑ www.whatcommuseum.org "History of Bellingham", Whatcom Museum
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 13877. p. 2. 22 March 1796. Retrieved 2 April 2009.
  6. ↑ Sir William Bellingham at Find A Grave accessed May 16, 2013
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Sir Charles Cocks
John Yorke		 Member of Parliament for Reigate
1784 – 1789
With: Edward Leeds 1784–1787
Reginald Pole-Carew 1787–1789		 Succeeded by
Reginald Pole-Carew
Samuel Hood
Baronetage of Great Britain
New creation Baronet
(of Castle Bellingham)
1796 – 1826 		Succeeded by
Alan Bellingham

External links

Sir William Bellingham, 1st Baronet at Find a Grave

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