Quick Facts
Biography
Joseph Townsend (1704–1763) of Honington, Warwickshire was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1740 and 1754.
Family
Townsend was born in 1704, the first son (but not heir) of brewer Joseph Townsend (d. 1728) of Winchester Street, London, by his first wife, Mary Shipsey. His father left him only an annuity of £200 but on the death of his younger half-brother, Thomas Beacon Townsend (d. 1737), he was enabled to marry and buy Honington Hall. On 11 October 1737, he married Judith, daughter of John Gore (d. 1763), British MP for Great Grimsby of Bush Hill, Middlesex.
Career
He was elected Member of Parliament for Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency) on 22 December 1740 until 1741 when he became the MP for Westbury (UK Parliament constituency). In 1747 he returned to the Wallingford constituency where he served until 1754. He died on 8 July 1763.