Charles Godfrey (courtier)

Colonel Charles Godfrey (1646 – 23 February 1714) was an English Army officer, courtier and Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons for 22 years between 1689 and 1713.

Early life

Godfrey came from a recusant family, originating in Norfolk, and was the son of Francis Godfrey of Little Chelsea, Middlesex[1] and his wife Anne née Blount. He was born on 6 November 1646 in Westminster, and was baptised on 26 November at Mapledurham, Oxfordshire.[2] He joined the cavalry and was a captain in the Grenadier Guards in 1674. In 1678, he was lieutenant-colonel of Sir Thomas Slingsby's regiment and then captain-lieutenant of horse in the Duke of Monmouth's regiment. He became a major of horse in Lord Gerard's regiment in 1679.

Godfrey married Arabella Churchill, former mistress of King James II, on 1 June 1680 at Holy Trinity Minories, London.[3] He was thus brother-in-law of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and on course for preferment in the Royal Household. He also became a close friend and political protégé of Thomas Wharton. He was one of the first to join the Prince of Orange at the Revolution and was rewarded with his own regiment, as Colonel of Godfrey's Regiment of Cuirassiers in 1688.[1]

Career

Godfrey was returned as Member of Parliament for Malmesbury at the 1689 general election. In 1690 he stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at Westminster. He was returned at a by-election on 26 October 1691 as MP for Wycombe (also known as Chipping Wycombe) by his friend Thomas Wharton. He was returned again in 1695 and 1698. He was appointed Master of the Jewel Office in 1698.[4] In 1704 he was appointed a Clerk of the Green Cloth a position in the British Royal Household and held the post for the rest of his life. The clerk acted as secretary of the Board of Green Cloth, and was therefore responsible for organising royal journeys and assisting in the administration of the Royal Household.[5] He was returned as MP for Wycombe at the 1705 English general election. At the 1708 British general election, he was again returned as Whig MP for Wycombe, voting accordingly for naturalizing the Palatines in 1709 and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. He was returned unopposed again at the 1710 British general election and voted for the ‘No Peace Without Spain’ motion on 7 December 1711, but against his party for the French commerce bill on 18 June 1713. Wharton refused to support him at the 1713 British general election and he was unable to find a seat elsewhere.[6]

Godfrey lived in Great Windmill Street near Piccadilly Circus, London.[7]

Death and legacy

Godfrey died on 23 February 1714 while on a visit to Bath, Somerset and was buried in Bath Abbey.[1] He and his wife had a son and two daughters. His son Francis predeceased him in 1712. His daughter Elizabeth married Edmund Dunch MP (1677–1719) and Charlotte married Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (1675–1734).

References

  1. "GODFREY, Charles (c.1648-1715), of Windmill Street, Westminster and Huntercombe, Bucks. - History of Parliament Online". Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  2. Oxfordshire Family History Society; Oxford, Oxfordshire, England; Anglican Parish Registers; Reference Number: PAR164/1/R1/1
  3. London Metropolitan Archives, Holy Trinity Minories, Register of marriages, 1676 - 1683, P69/TRI2/A/007/MS09242A
  4. Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, 2 volumes (Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 1999), volume 2, page 1866. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition.
  5. "Officers of the Green Cloth: Clerks and Clerk Comptrollers". Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  6. "GODFREY, Charles (c.1648-1715), of Windmill Street, Westminster, Mdx., and Huntercombe, Bucks". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  7. "Piccadilly Circus". Arthur Lloyd. Archived from the original on 17 June 2006. Retrieved 5 August 2016.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
Parliament of England
Preceded by
Sir Thomas Estcourt
John Fitzherbert
Member of Parliament for Malmesbury
1689–1690
With: Thomas Tollemache
Succeeded by
Goodwin Wharton
Sir James Long
Preceded by
Thomas Lewes
William Jephson
Member of Parliament for Wycombe
1691–1707
With: Thomas Lewes 1691–1696
Fleetwood Dormer 1696–1698, 1701–1707
John Archdale 1698–1699
Thomas Archdale 1699–1700
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Parliament of England
Member of Parliament for Wycombe
1707–1713
With: Fleetwood Dormer 1707–1710
Sir Thomas Lee 1710–1713
Succeeded by
Sir Thomas Lee
Sir John Wittewronge
Political offices
Preceded by
Hon. Heneage Montagu
Master of the Jewel Office
1698–1704
Succeeded by
John Charlton
Military offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Selkirk
Colonel of Godfrey's Regiment of Cuirassiers
1688–1693
Succeeded by
Francis Langston
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