Robert Vernon Atherton Gwillym (28 August 1741 – 9 July 1783), known as Robert Vernon Atherton after 1779, was a British landowner and politician who represented Newton in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1774 to 1780.
Early life
[edit]Gwillym was the second son of Robert Gwillym of Langstone Court, Herefordshire,[1] and his wife, Elizabeth Atherton (1721-1763).
His maternal grandparents were Richard Atherton (1700-1726) and Elizabeth Farrington of Atherton Hall.[2] He is a direct descendant of Richard Atherton.
Career
[edit]He succeeded his brother William in 1771, and inherited Atherton Hall, Leigh.[3] That same year he is listed as a subscriber to a journal on travels to America and of agriculture and plantations.[4]
At the 1774 general election, Gwillym was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Newton on the interest of his father-in-law. His attendance in Parliament was very infrequent as he suffered from poor health. His only recorded vote was for Wilkes's Middlesex resolution, and he is not recorded as having spoken. He did not stand at the 1780 general election.[3]
Personal life
[edit]In January 1763, he married Henrietta Maria Legh, daughter of Peter Legh (1706–1792) of Lyme Park and Bank Hall.[5] Together, they were the parents of two sons, who died young, and four daughters.[3]
- Henrietta Maria Atherton, who married Thomas Powys, 2nd Baron Lilford in 1797 at Penwortham, Lancashire;[6] they had twelve children.[7]
Gwillym took name of Atherton in 1779. He died in France on 9 July 1783.
Legacy
[edit]In 1766 at the age of 25, both he and his family were painted by Joseph Wright of Derby[8] The family portraits were inherited by his eldest daughter, Henrietta Maria Vernon Atherton, the wife of Thomas Powys, 2nd Baron Lilford and remained under the ownership of the Lilford family until 1961.
Descendants
[edit]- Thomas Powys, 3rd Baron Lilford
- Thomas Powys, 4th Baron Lilford
- John Powys, 5th Baron Lilford
- Stephen Powys, 6th Baron Lilford
- George Powys, 7th Baron Lilford
- Mark Powys, 8th Baron Lilford
References
[edit]- ^ "Langstone Court and the Atherton Connection".
- ^ "Elizabeth Atherton, daughter of William and Elizabeth Farington. Wigan Arts and Heritage Service". artUK.org.
- ^ a b c "GWILLYM, Robert Vernon Atherton (?1741-83), of Atherton Hall, nr. Manchester". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
- ^ Kalm, Peter (1771). Travels into North America; Containing its Natural History, and a Circumstantial Account of its Plantations and Agriculture in General, with the Civil, Ecclesiastical and Commercial State of the Country, the Manners of the Inhabitants, and Several Curious and Important Remarks on Various Subjects. Part 2. The editor. p. 10.
- ^ "Peter Legh MP, father in law".
- ^ Thomas Benolt, William Langton (1843). The Visitation of Lancashire and a Part of Cheshire: Made in the Twenty-fourth Year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, 1533 A.D. Chetham society. p. 87. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
- ^ Tim Powys-Lyb (2011) "Thomas Powys Lord Lilford", http://www.tim.ukpub.net/pl_tree/ps01/ps01_143.html
- ^ "Mr. Robert Gwillym, a portrait, currently property of Saint Louis Art Museum".