Isaac Townsend ( – 21 November 1765) was an admiral in the British
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...
and a
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...
.
A post-captain from 1720, Townsend commanded various ships. As captain of
HMS Shrewsbury he took part in the
expedition against Cartagena in 1741. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1744, vice admiral in 1746 and admiral in 1747. He was also an Elder Brother of
Trinity House
"Three In One"
, formation =
, founding_location = Deptford, London, England
, status = Royal Charter corporation and registered charity
, purpose = Maintenance of lighthouses, buoys and beacons
, he ...
.
He entered Parliament in 1744 as member for the naval port of
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
, and represented that town until 1754. He did not stand for re-election in 1754, when the
Admiralty supported two other admirals as its candidates. He became governor of
Greenwich Hospital in 1754, and in this capacity in 1757 he had custody of
Admiral Byng, who was under arrest there before his court-martial. After Byng's execution, Townsend was chosen to take his place as MP for
Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
, another borough in the Admiralty's gift, and was MP for that city for the rest of his life. He was regarded as a reliable voter for the government, but seems never to have spoken in the House.
He was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathematic ...
in February 1750.
Townsend married Elizabeth Larcum, daughter of William Larcum, a surgeon, and they had one son and one daughter. He died in 1765.
He is frequently confused with his uncle, a naval officer also named Isaac Townsend (d.1731) who is commemorated by a substantial memorial in the North Transept of Winchester Cathedral.
References
;General
* Concise Dictionary of National Biography (1930)
*Robert Beatson,
A Chronological Register of Both Houses of Parliament' (London: Longman, Hurst, Res & Orme, 1807)
* Lewis Namier & John Brooke, ''The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754–1790'' (London: HMSO, 1964)
*
External links
*
Portrait, possibly of Isaac Townsend, at the National Maritime Museum
Year of birth uncertain
1765 deaths
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
Fellows of the Royal Society
Royal Navy admirals
British MPs 1741–1747
British MPs 1747–1754
British MPs 1754–1761
British MPs 1761–1768
Members of Trinity House
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