Armine Wodehouse Bt MP (abt. 1714 - 1777)

Born about 1714 in England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 21 May 1777 at about age 63 in England

Biography

Armine Wodehouse Bt MP was born in Kimberley, Norfolk, England.

Early Life and Family

Sir Armine Wodehouse, was born about 1714 and baptised in Wymondham, Norfolk, England^[1]. He was the second son of Sir John Wodehouse, 4th Bt. by his second wife Mary Fermor. He had older siblings William (born abt 1706) and Sophie (born abt 1708) as well as a younger brother Thomas, who died unmarried^[2]. His unusual first name came from his paternal grandmother Anne (Airmine) Herbert (abt.1654-1719) surname and her family who were Baronets of Osgodby in Lincolnshire, England.

Armine grew up in Kimberly Hall, near Wyndownham, Norfolk, England which had been built for his father in 1712 a couple of years before he was born and to which he made improvements to the house and grounds in his lifetime. Armine went to the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England from 14 October 1730^[3] until 1733.

Political and Aristocracy

Armine's older brother William was the heir to the title and became the MP for Norfolk in 1734, as well as an MP for Cirencester where he was elected by his father in law, Lord Bathurst (1684-1775). However William had no children^[2] and died in 1737 in London, England very probably of Smallpox^[4].

After the death of his brother Armine became his father's heir and took on his brothers seat in parliament where he served in subsequent elections up until 1768^[5]. He was an authoritarian Tory and voted against the government often, and always on the side of the landowners and country gentlemen. There is no record of him ever having spoken in the house. When he lost his seat in 1768 he was offered another but replied that he was not interested in politics preferring to spend his time on his estate^[6].

He succeeded to the title of 5th Baronet Wodehouse, of Kimberley, co. Norfolk [E., 1611] on 6 August 1754^[7], on the death of his father^[8].

Sir Armine Wodehouse 1759.

One initiative that Armine supported was the controversial Militia Bill of 1758, which created county militias and was widely seen as a mechanism by the landed gentry to keep the Hanoverian monarchy in check. Although he held no regular commission in the Army he was appointed as Colonel of the 2nd Regiment of the Norfolk Militia^[9][10]. His opposition to the house of Hannover was also apparently expressed in more direct ways, his grandsons family history relates that Armine wrote to the Pretender offering support from the families of Norfolk, although when the '45 rebellion was put down at Derby his support had not been publicly declared and the incriminating letter was later destroyed by his son^[2].

Personal Life

Armine married Letitia Bacon on 3 October 1738 in Garboldisham, Norfolk, England^[11][12]. According to a report in the Stamford Mercury on 28 September 1738^[13] the wedding took place on 22 September 1738 at the seat of her father Sir Edmund Bacon 6th Bt MP (abt.1680-1755) and concluded that she was worth £10,000 (roughly £1.9 Million in 2023 Bank of England Inflation Calculator).

Together Sir Armine Wodehouse, 5th Bt. and Letitia Bacon had four children:

1. Edmund Wodehouse b. 1740 d. 1755
2. John Wodehouse,1st Baron Wodehouse of Kimberley b. 4 Apr 1741, d. 29 May 1834
3. Reverend Philip Wodehouse b. 1 May 1745, d. 14 Feb 1811
4. Thomas Wodehouse b. 1 Feb 1747

His wife Letitia died in 1759.

In addition to his political, military and family activities, Armine made improvements to Kimberly Hall including building impressive towers and having the grounds landscaped by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown (bef.1716-bef.1783)^[2].

Sir Armine Wodehouse 5th Bt died on 21 May 1777. According to reports of his death he choked on a fish bone^[14], specifically according to his grandson, a Pike^[2]. He was buried in the family vault at Kimberly on 31 May 1777^[15][16] and succeeded by his son. In his will, dated 29 March 1769 and proved 10 October 1777^[17] Sir Armine left his estate to his heir Sir John, John's wife Sophie and their children who had been born at the date of the will, and livings to his other two sons as well as specific gifts to named servants.

Research Notes

• No open source version of the Parish Records held on Ancestry has been identified to narrow down an exact birth date and christening details for Armine. Pickard-1581 20:00, 22 October 2023 (UTC)
• Several details of Armine's life are taken from the self published family history by his great grandson almost a century later^[2]. Although the details of his great grandfather may be relatively accurate, there are some confusions of dates and it is not clear how carefully researched it was. Other authors go further and refer to earlier sections of that book as the Forged Wodehouse Pedigree ^[18]. Pickard-1581 20:00, 22 October 2023 (UTC)
• The date of Armine and Letitia's Wedding in the newspaper report was the Friday preceeding its publication date of 28 September 1738 (ie 22 September 1738) but the Parish Record records the wedding on 6 October 1738. I suspect that the Newspaper Report has jumped the gun slightly. Pickard-1581 14:22, 24 October 2023 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Norfolk, England, Church of England Baptism, Marriages, and Burials, 1535-1812 Ancestry Index Search Citing Norfolk Register Office Original Parish Registers. Accessed 22 October 2023
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Wodehouse, John. The Wodehouses of Kimberley. United Kingdom: Privately printed, 1887. p53-p56 Archive OCR Text. Accessed 22 October 2023.
3. ↑ Venn, John, 1834-1923, Venn, J. A. (John Archibald), b. 1883; Alumni cantabrigienses; a biographical list of all known students, graduates and holders of office at the University of Cambridge, from the earliest times to 1900; by University of Cambridge; Publication date 1922-54; Publisher Cambridge, University Press; Volume 4, pt.1; Scanned Text. Accessed 21 October 2023. WODEHOUSE, ARMINE (AIRMINE). Adm. FeU.-Com. at Trinity Hall, Oct. 14, 1730. S. of Sir John, of Kimberley, Norfolk, Bart. B. 1714. Matric. 1730. Name ofi, 1733- M.P. for Norfolk, 1737-68. Succeeded as 5th Bart., Aug. 9, 1754. Married Laetitia, dau. of Sir Edmund Bacon, of Garboldisham, Norfolk, Bart. Died May 21,' 1777- Will, P.C.C. Brother of WiUiam (1723). (G.E.C., i. 52.)
4. ↑ WODEHOUSE, William (?1706-37), of Kimberley Hall, Norf. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970. Available from Boydell and Brewer History of Parliament Online Accessed 22 October 2023.
5. ↑ WODEHOUSE, Armine (c.1714-77), of Kimberley Hall, Norf. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970, Available from Boydell and Brewer History of Parliament Online Accessed 22 October 2023.
6. ↑ WODEHOUSE, Armine (c.1714-77), of Kimberley, Norf. Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964 Available from Boydell and Brewer. History of Parliament Online Accessed 22 October 2023.
7. ↑ Cokayne, George E. (George Edward), 1825-1911, Complete baronetage Publication date 1900; Publisher Exeter : W. Pollard & co., ltd. List of printed baronetages, previous to 1900: v. 1, p. [xiii]-xv; v. 1. English baronetcies, 1611-1625 and Irish, 1618-1625.--v. 2. English, Irish and Scottish, 1625-1649.--v. 3. English, Irish and Scottish, 1649-1664.--v. 4. English, Irish and Scottish, 1665-1707.--v. 5. Great Britain and Ireland, 1707-1800, and Jacobite, 1688-1788; p52 Internet Archive Text
8. ↑ Norfolk : Kimberley : St Peter : Archdeacon's Transcripts : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG (https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/58189217e93790ec75561dfb : viewed 24 Oct 2023) burial John Wodehouse 19 Aug 1754.
9. ↑ HARVEY (Colonel Sir Charles), The History of the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment (late East Norfolk Militia). Published by London: Jarrold & Sons, 1899 Google Books.
10. ↑ Description of Portrait of Sir Armine Wodehouse, MP, Colonel of the 2nd, or Eastern Regiment of Norfolk Militia, at a Review of his Regiment near Norwich, 1759 National Army Museum. Accessed 22 October 2023.
11. ↑ Norfolk : Garboldisham : St John the Baptist : Archdeacon's Transcripts : Parish Register database, FreeREG Transcript: viewed 22 Oct 2023) marriage Armine Wodehouse to Letitia Bacon 3 Oct 1738.
12. ↑ England Marriages, 1538–1973, database, FamilySearch (12 March 2020), Armine Wodehouse, 1738. Accessed and imported to WikiTree 22 Oct 2023.
13. ↑ Stamford Mercury - British Library 28 September 1738, Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. FindMyPast Image
14. ↑ The Annual Register: World Events .... 1777. - 1778. N.p.: ProQuestrel, 1778. p228 Google Books. Accessed 22 October 2023.
15. ↑ Norfolk : Kimberley : St Peter : Parish Register : "Parish Register" database, FreeREG Transcript: (viewed 22 Oct 2023) burial Sir Armine Wodehouse 31 Aug 1777
16. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images Find A Grave: Memorial #183328567 (accessed 21 October 2023), memorial page for Sir Armine Wodehouse (1714–21 May 1777), Find a Grave Memorial ID 183328567, citing St. Peter's Churchyard, Kimberley, South Norfolk District, Norfolk, England; Maintained by RFB Jenkins (contributor 47712974).
17. ↑ Will of Sir Armine Wodehouse of Kimberley Hall , Norfolk; Reference: PROB 11/1036/18; Description: Will of Sir Armine Wodehouse of Kimberley Hall , Norfolk; Date: 10 October 1777; Held by: The National Archives, Kew; Legal status: Public Record(s); Closure status: Open Document, Open Description Ordering Link
18. ↑ Norfolk families; Vol. 01 Rye, Walter, 1843-1927 Family Search Book p 191. Accessed 21 October 2023.