Sir Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet

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Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet (May 1740 – 14 April 1821) was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1761 and 1812. He was the first husband of Lady Sarah Lennox, and a breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses.

Sir Charles Bunbury
6th Baronet
An engraving of Bunbury
PredecessorRev. Sir William Bunbury, 5th Baronet (1710 – 1764)
SuccessorSir Henry Bunbury, 7th Baronet (1778 – 1860)
BornMay 1740
Mildenhall, Suffolk, United Kingdom
Died14 April 1821
York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Noble familyBunbury baronets
Spouse(s)
  • Sarah Lennox (1762 – 1776)
  • Margaret Coxedge (1805 - 1807)
  • Sarah Rodwell (1807)
FatherRev. Sir William Bunbury, 5th Baronet
MotherEleanor Graham
OccupationHorse breeder

History

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Sir Charles Bunbury was born the eldest son of Reverend Sir William Bunbury, 5th Baronet, Vicar of Mildenhall, Suffolk, and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Vere Graham, in May 1740. The caricaturist Henry Bunbury was his younger brother. He was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge.[1] Bunbury was returned to Parliament as one of two representatives for Suffolk in 1761, a seat he held until 1784, and again from 1790 to 1812. He was also High Sheriff of Suffolk in 1788.[2]

While serving as a Whig politician, Bunbury became a strong opponent of the slave trade.[3] He was also a supporter and ally of Charles James Fox when the latter entered politics in 1768;[4] Fox was the son of Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, and Lady Caroline Lennox, a daughter of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond. Bunbury would become Fox's uncle by marriage.

Bunbury married firstly Lady Sarah Lennox, another daughter of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond - a grandson of King Charles II through his illegitimate son, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond - and one of the famous Lennox sisters, on 2 June 1762. Their notorious marriage, which produced no children - although Sarah gave birth to a daughter fathered by her lover, Lord William Gordon, on 19 December 1768 - was dissolved by Act of Parliament on 14 May 1776, on the grounds of Sarah's adultery.

He married secondly Margaret Cocksedge on 21 November 1805, again without children. Bunbury died in April 1821, aged 80, and was succeeded to the baronetcy by his nephew, Henry. Margaret, Lady Bunbury, died in February 1822.

Bunbury was an important, "crucial" figure in the field of horse racing and Thoroughbred breeding.[5] He was a steward of the Jockey Club, and his horses included the Epsom Derby winners Diomed, Eleanor, and Smolensko. His racing silks were pink and white stripes.[6] Bunbury also bred the racehorse and leading sire Highflyer (1774 – 18 October 1793), one of the most important sons of Herod (April 1758 – 12 May 1780), the progenitor of the Byerley Turk sire line in the Thoroughbred horse breed.

Horses

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  • Gimcrack (b. 1760), bought by Sir Charles Bunbury in 1768, and then sold in 1769 to Richard Grosvenor, 1st Earl Grosvenor.[7]
  • Highflyer (1774 - 1793), bred by Sir Charles Bunbury and sold as a yearling.
  • Diomed (1777 - 1808), bought by Sir Charles Bunbury and used at stud. Sold at age 21 in 1798.
  • Young Giantess (1790 - 1811), bred by Sir Charles Bunbury and used as a broodmare.
  • Sorcerer (1796 – 1821), bred by Sir Charles Bunbury. Replaced Diomed as Sir Charles' primary stud.
  • Eleanor (1798 – 1824), bred by Sir Charles Bunbury. Sold to a "Mr. Rush" at auction in 1822.
  • Smolensko (1810 – 10 January 1829), bred by Sir Charles Bunbury. Sold to Richard Wilson in 1822.

Notes

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  1. ^ "Bunbury, Thomas [Charles] (BNBY756TC)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ^ "BUNBURY, Thomas Charles (1740–1821), of Barton, Suff. and Bunbury, Cheshire ". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  3. ^ Church, Michael. "Lord Derby & Sir Charles Bunbury". Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  4. ^ "Sir Thomas Charles Bunbury, 6th Baronet". The British Museum. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  5. ^ Barrett, Norman, ed. (1995). The Daily Telegraph Chronicle of Horse Racing. Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Publishing.
  6. ^ Weatherby, Edward and James (1801). "COLOURS WORN BY THE RIDERS OF THE FOLLOWING NOBLEMEN, GENTLEMEN, &c". Racing Calendar. 28: 52.
  7. ^ "Grimcrack". Thoroughbred Heritage Portraits. Retrieved 28 September 2023.

References

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Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Suffolk
17611784
With: Rowland Holt 1761–1768
Sir John Rous, Bt 1768–1771
Rowland Holt 1771–1780
Sir John Rous, Bt 1780–1784
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Suffolk
17901801
With: Sir John Rous, Bt 1790–1796
Viscount Brome 1796–1801
Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Member of Parliament for Suffolk
18011812
With: Viscount Brome 1801–1806
Thomas Sherlock Gooch 1806–1812
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Secretary for Ireland
1765
Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by
William Bunbury
Baronet
(of Stanney Hall)
1764–1821
Succeeded by