Charles Mellish

Charles Mellish (6 July 1737 – 29 December 1797) was a British MP.

Early life

Mellish was born in 1737 in London, England. He was the only surviving son of William Mellish, MP, of Blyth, Nottinghamshire, and his wife, Catherine da Costa Villa Real. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1761 and was called to the Bar in 1766.

Career

Mellish was Recorder of Newark, Nottinghamshire from 1770 to 1777; and again from 1779 to 1794. He was Commissioner of Stamps from 1793 to 1796.

Mellish managed the Yorkshire estates of Viscount Galway, with whom he was connected by marriage and was thereby eligible for, and was elected as, MP for Pontefract in 1774. He served until 1780. Mellish was placed by the Duke of Newcastle as MP for Aldborough, Yorkshire in 1780. Initially a loyal supporter in parliament of Newcastle and Lord North, his political career ended in 1784 when he had a disagreement with Newcastle and was asked to resign his seat. Mellish did not stand in the general election of 1784, and stood unsuccessfully for Pontefract in 1790.

Personal interests and family life

Mellish was interested in antiquarian study, particularly in the history of Nottinghamshire. He was working on an unfinished county history at the time of his death in late 1797.

Mellish married Judith Stapleton (d 1806) with whom he had two sons and two daughters. Eventually, Mellish disinherited his elder son, Joseph Charles, due to the latter's extravagance. The Blyth estate passed to his second son, Henry Francis, who lost it due to gambling. The neighbouring property, known as Hodsock Priory, and which Mellish had also owned, ended up in the hands of his oldest daughter, Anne, who rebuilt the house there.