The Hon. Robert Byng (1703–1740) was a British Navy official and Whig 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 ...

from 1728 to 1739. He served as Governor of Barbados for a short time before he died there. Byng was baptised on 27 November 1703, the third son of

George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington Admiral of the Fleet George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, (27 January 1663 – 17 January 1733) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who represented Plymouth in the English and British House of Commons from 1705 to 1721. While still a lieu ...

and his wife Margaret Master. He married Elizabeth Forward, daughter of

Jonathan Forward Jonathan Forward (1680–1760) was a London merchant primarily responsible for convict transportation to the American colonies from 1718 to 1739. In accordance with the Transportation Act 1717, Forward was contracted to transport felons from Ne ...

, contractor of transports, on 19 December 1734. Byng became cashier of the navy in 1726 and was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

on the Admiralty interest at a by-election on 1 March 1728. He voted with the Government in all recorded divisions. In 1732 he was promoted to Commissioner of the Navy and held the post until 1739. He was returned unopposed for Plymouth 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 ...

. He spoke against a place bill on 22 April 1735. In May 1739, he was appointed Governor of Barbados and resigned his seat in Parliament. Byng died in Barbados on 6 October 1740 and was buried there on the 7th. He left three sons and his eldest son, George Byng later of

Wrotham Park Wrotham Park (pronounced , ) is a neo-Palladian English country house in the parish of South Mimms, Hertfordshire. It lies south of the town of Potters Bar, from Hyde Park Corner in central London. The house was designed by Isaac Ware in 1754 ...

, was the father of

John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford Field Marshal John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford (1772 – 3 June 1860) was a British Army officer and politician. After serving as a junior officer during the French Revolutionary Wars and Irish Rebellion of 1798, he became Commanding Officer of ...

. Byng was the brother of Admiral

John Byng Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral John Byng (baptised 29 October 1704 – 14 March 1757) was a Royal Navy officer and politician who was court-martialled and executed by firing squad. After joining the navy at the age of thirteen, he participate ...

and Pattee Byng, 2nd Viscount Torrington.

References

1703 births 1740 deaths Governors of Barbados Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Plymouth Younger sons of viscounts British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

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