Joseph Windham-Ashe (1683–30 July 1746) of Twickenham, Middlesex, was an English merchant and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

between 1734 and 1746. Windham-Ashe was born Joseph Windham the son of William Windham of

Felbrigg Hall Felbrigg Hall is a 17th-century English country house near the village of that name in Norfolk. Part of a National Trust property, the unaltered 17th-century house is noted for its Jacobean architecture and fine Georgian interior. Outside ...

, Norfolk and his wife Katherine Ashe. He was the brother of

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

and Ashe. He was related on his father’s side to the Windhams of Norfolk and through his mother and wife to the Ashes of Heytesbury. From about 1718, he was cashier to salt commissioners, holding the post until 1734. He married his cousin Martha Ashe, the only surviving daughter and heiress of

Sir James Ashe, 2nd Baronet Sir James Ashe, 2nd Baronet (27 July 1674 – 8 November 1733) was an England, English baronet and Whig (British political party), Whig politician who sat in the English House of Commons, House of Commons from 1701 to 1705. Background Ashe w ...

, his mother's brother, in 1715. He assumed the name Ashe by a 1733 Act of Parliament on his wife’s succession to her father’s property at Twickenham Meadows, Cambridge Park, Twickenham and elsewhere in 1733.Twickenham Museum Cambridge Park & Meadowbank A Jacobean Mansion 1616
/ref> Windham Ashe enlarged the house (later known as Cambridge House) and built the west front. Twickenham Meadows Landseer a

The Ashe inheritance included a lease of the manor of Downton, which held the appointment of the returning officer of Downton. Windham-Ashe was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Downton as a government supporter at the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scot ...

. At the

1741 British general election The 1741 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election saw suppo ...

, he stood down at Downton for John Verney, but was unsuccessful when he stood on the government interest for

Bishop's Castle Bishop's Castle is a market town in the south west of Shropshire, England. According to the 2011 Census it had a population of 1,893. Bishop's Castle is east of the Wales–England border, about north-west of Ludlow and about south-west of ...

instead. When Verney died, Ashe was returned again for Downton at a by-election on 4 January 1742. Soon afterwards, he transferred the lease of the manor to Anthony Duncombe. Windham-Ashe was put into custody of the serjeant at arms on 18 January 1743 for defaulting on a call of the House. He continued to support the Government. Windham-Ashe died on 30 July 1746 leaving one daughter Mary, who married John Windham-Bowyer in September 1734. After his death Martha stayed at the house for three years until her death in 1749, when it was bought by Valens Comyn MP for Hindon.

References

Ashe family
{{DEFAULTSORT:Windham-Ashe, Joseph British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 1683 births 1746 deaths