Sir Walter Bagot, 5th Baronet

Sir Walter Wagstaffe Bagot, 5th Baronet, was born on 3 August 1702 and died on 20 January 1768. He held estates at Blithfield Hall in Staffordshire. He was an English politician affiliated with the Tory party and served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons during various periods between 1724 and 1768.

Early Life:

Walter Wagstaffe Bagot was the eldest surviving son of Sir Edward Bagot, 4th Baronet, who was also a Member of Parliament, and his wife Frances Wagstaffe. Frances was the daughter of Sir Thomas Wagstaffe of Tachbrook, Warwickshire. In 1712, he inherited the baronetcy and the family estate upon the death of his father. His education included studies at Isleworth and Colney Hatch, Middlesex. In 1720, he matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford. On 27 July 1724, he married Lady Barbara Legge, daughter of William Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth, who was also a Member of Parliament.

Political Career:

Bagot entered Parliament as a Tory MP representing Newcastle-under-Lyme after a by-election in November 1724. His brother-in-law, Lord Lewisham, criticized him for neglecting parliamentary duties. In the 1727 general election, he was elected unopposed as the MP for Staffordshire and consistently voted against the government. He was returned unopposed again in 1734. His only recorded speech occurred on 26 February 1735, when he unsuccessfully proposed a clause to the mutiny bill aimed at enabling newly enlisted soldiers to be discharged immediately if they wished.

In 1737, Bagot became a Trustee of the Radcliffe Library at Oxford and was awarded a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) degree. He also became a founding governor of the Foundling Hospital in 1739. He was returned unopposed as an MP for Staffordshire in 1741, but in 1747, he participated in a contested election. His opponent petitioned against his victory; however, Bagot organized a gathering at the Lichfield races in September, which escalated into a Jacobite demonstration opposing the Whig-aligned Leveson Gower family.

In the 1754 general election, Bagot stepped down in favor of his son William, who was elected as MP for Staffordshire. On 30 November 1762, he agreed to stand for the Oxford University seat at the urging of Thomas Jenner, the president of Magdalen College. He was elected as MP for Oxford University on 16 December 1762. His documented voting record includes opposition to repealing the cider tax in February 1764 and support for the land tax in February 1767.

Later Life and Family:

William Bagot, his son, succeeded him as MP for Staffordshire after 1754. Walter Wagstaffe Bagot’s marriage to Lady Barbara Legge produced a total of sixteen children—eight sons and eight daughters. Notable children include:

- William Bagot, who became the 1st Baron Bagot (1728–1798).

- Charles Bagot (1730–1793), who married Catherine Legge, a niece of the Earl of Dartmouth, and legally changed his surname to Charles Chester in 1755.

- Reverend Walter Bagot (1731–1808), of Pype Hayes Hall, who was married twice. His first marriage produced Louisa-Frances, who married Reverend Richard Levett, a connection to the Bagot family estate. His second marriage was to Mary Ward, with whom he fathered Jane Margaret, who married Sir Edward Vaughan Williams.

- Richard Bagot (1733–1813), who married Frances Howard and assumed the surname Howard by Act of Parliament.

- Right Reverend Lewis Bagot (1740–1802).

- Charlotte Sneyd (died 1829), who married Davies Davenport and was mother to Edward Davies Davenport and grandmother to William Bromley-Davenport.

References:

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