William Edward Powell

William Edward Powell (16 February 1788 – 10 April 1854) was a British Lord Lieutenant and Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire from 1816 until his death in 1854.

He was the eldest son of Thomas Powell of Nanteos and Elinor Corbet, daughter of Edward Maurice Corbet of Ynysymaengwyn, Merionethshire.[1] He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. Brought up in France by his widowed mother, he finally occupied his father's estate at Nanteos, near Aberystwyth at the age of 21 in 1809 and was made High Sheriff of Cardiganshire in 1810. He became the Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire in 1817.[2]

Despite earning a reputation for living beyond his means and evidence of neglect on his substantial Cardiganshire estates, he was returned to Parliament in 1816 as a Conservative upon the death of Thomas Johnes.[1] He was destined to sit for eleven successive parliaments without a single competitor.[3] However, there were occasional challenges to his tenure. As early as 1820, friends of Pryse Pryse, the member for Cardigan Boroughs were said to be seeking to secure him the county seat at the expense of Powell. However, this opposition dis not materialise when Powell returned to the county for the nomination, having not undertaken any personal canvassing in advance.[1]

Powell made no recorded speeches in the Commons between 1820 and 1832.[1]

He married Laura-Edwyna Phelp, eldest daughter of James Sacksville Tufton Phelp, of Coston House Leics in 1810, and had two sons:

Laura died in 1822. He married again in 1841 to Harriet Dell, widow of George Ackers of Moreton Hall, Cheshire.

Powell died at his London home on 10 April 1854.[4] On Monday, 17 April, his remains returned to Nanteoes, and the following days were interred in the family vault at Llanbadarn Fawr. In the town of Aberystwyth, a mile from his burial place, all the shops and business were closed for the day.[5] The estate was left to his eldest son.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Escott, Margaret. "William Edward Powell". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
  2. ↑ National Library of Wales: Dictionary of Welsh Biography
  3. ↑ the Gentlemans Magazine
  4. ↑ "Cardiganshire. Death of Colonel Powell". Welshman. 14 April 1854. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  5. ↑ "Aberystwyth. Funeral of the late Colonel Powell". Welshman. 21 April 1854. p. 3. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "Occupants at Nanteos". Retrieved 2011-07-05.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Thomas Johnes		 Member of Parliament for Cardiganshire
1816–1854		 Succeeded by
The Earl of Lisburne
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Thomas Johnes		 Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire
1817–1854		 Succeeded by
Thomas Lloyd


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