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HUMFREYS, Sir William, 1st Bt. (c.1651-1735), of Barking, Essex.
Available from Boydell and Brewer
Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
b. c.1651, 2nd s. of Nathaniel Humfreys of Candlewick Street, London, citizen and ironmonger, by his w. Mary. m. (1) bef. 1682,1 Margaret (d. 19 Aug. 1704), da. of William Wintone of Dymock, Glos., 1s. 1da.; (2) 6 Jan. 1705, Ellen, wid. of Robert Lancashire, London merchant, s.p. Kntd. 26 Oct. 1704; cr. Bt. 30 Nov. 1714.
Offices Held
Sheriff, London 1704-5, alderman 1707, ld. mayor 1714-15; master, Ironmongers’ Co. 1705; director, E.I. Co. 1711-14, Bank of England 1719-30 (with statutory intervals).
Col. Green regt. 1714-d.
Biography
Sir William Humfreys, whose father was of Welsh extraction from Montgomeryshire,2 was by trade an oilman, or drysalter, in the Poultry. He owed his baronetcy to his entertainment as lord mayor of George I, on his accession, at Guildhall on 29 Oct. 1714. Returned as a Whig on the Duke of Somerset’s interest at Marlborough in 1715, he voted for the Administration in all recorded divisions. He did not stand again, dying 26 Oct. 1735.