Charles Bathurst

Charles Bathurst PC (1754 – 13 August 1831), known as Charles Bragge from 1754 to 1804, was a British politician of the early 19th century.

Born Charles Bragge, Bathurst was the son of Charles Bragge, of Cleeve Hill in Gloucestershire, and his wife Anne Bathurst, the granddaughter of Sir Benjamin Bathurst, younger brother of Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst. He was educated at Winchester School and New College, Oxford and studied law at Lincoln's Inn in 1772, being called to the bar in 1778. In 1804 he assumed by royal licence the surname of Bathurst in lieu of Bragge when he inherited Lydney Park in Gloucestershire from his maternal uncle Poole Bathurst.^[1]

Bathurst sat as a member of parliament (MP) for Monmouth from 1790 to 1796, for Bristol from 1796 to 1812, for Bodmin from 1812 to 1818 and for Harwich from 1818 to 1823. He was invested a member of the Privy Council in 1801 and held office under Henry Addington as Treasurer of the Navy from 1801 to 1803 and as Secretary at War from 1803 to 1804. He also served under the Duke of Portland as Master of the Mint (1806–07) and under Lord Liverpool as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1812–23) and President of the Board of Control (1821–22).

In 1796 Bathurst was made an honorary freeman of the Society of Merchant Venturers, due to his support for the slave trade.^[2][3]

Bathurst died in August 1831. He had married Charlotte, daughter of Anthony Addington, in 1781 and with her had 2 sons and 2 daughters. He was succeeded in turn by their eldest son Charles and their younger son, Reverend William Hiley Bathurst who became the grandfather of Charles Bathurst, 1st Viscount Bledisloe. His wife survived him by eight years and died in May 1839.^[1]

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Charles Bathurst