Richard Newdigate 1668-1727
Sir Richard NEWDIGATE, 2nd baronet 1644-1710
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Biographical Note
Of Arbury Hall, Warwickshire. Admitted to Gray’s Inn in 1654. Matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford in 1661 but did not graduate. He was dismissed from the magistrates’ bench and from his role as gentleman of the privy chamber in 1679 as he faced growing criticism following his attempt to enter the war against France in 1678. MP for Warwickshire 1681, 1689. He was restored to the bench in 1689 and proved ‘an active and loyal magistrate to William III’ (ODNB). He was a mining entrepreneur, responsible for the ‘pioneering’ use of gunpowder blasting.
Characteristic Markings
There is a rather puzzling succession of Newdigate bookplates in the Franks Collection. A plate of "Sr Richard Newdigate of Arbury, in the county of Warwick, baronet', dated 1709 (Franks 21722), is presumably this man's; it is noted as being an altered version of a plate which was originally used for Sir Richard's second son John, dated 1702 (Franks 21720/*364). A plate of "Richard Newdigate, Esqr." dated 1702 (Franks 21721/*371) is presumably that of his eldest son Richard, who became 3rd baronet and died in 1727, though it may be noted that there is no mark of cadency on this plate (as there is on John's, which has a crescent for the second son). It seems unlikely that a plate made for him in 1702 would not carry his baronetcy title.
The extent and disposition of Newdigate's library is not known. His will has no specific mention of books; he fell out with his son Richard and the residue of his estate was left to his wife and brother in law, as executors.
Sources
- Will of Sir Richard Newdigate, The National Archives PROB 11/521/333.
- Larminie, Vivienne. "Newdigate, Sir Richard, second baronet (1644–1710), landowner and mining entrepreneur." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.