Author: Boscawen, William
Biography:
BOSCAWEN, William (1752-1811: ODNB)
The second son of General George Boscawen and his wife Anne Trevor, he was born on 28 Aug. 1752 and baptised on 21 Sept. in St. George’s, Hanover Square, London. He attended Eton before matriculating at Exeter College, Oxford, on 10 Oct. 1770. He had entered the Middle Temple on 2 Feb. 1769 and was called to the bar on 26 Jan. 1776. In 1785 he was made a commissioner of the Victualling Office in London; he also served as a commissioner in bankruptcy. He married Charlotte Ibbetson (d 1804) on 8 Apr. 1786 at Bushey, Hertfordshire; they had five surviving children, all daughters, and two sons who predeceased their father. His translations from Horace were published in 1793 and 1797; his will specifically directs his friends to “make the most” of these—including by selling the copyright—to support his still unmarried daughters. He also wrote Treatise on Convictions on Penal Statutes (1792) and contributed to GM and BC. He was connected with RLF and wrote the annual verses for the fund; these were printed in Claims of Literature (1802). He died at Little Chelsea, Kensington, on 8 May 1811 and his will was proved on 2 July. (ODNB 16 Mar. 2023; ancestry.co.uk 16 Mar. 2023; findmypast.co.uk 16 Mar. 2023; Alumni Oxonienses; ECA; Register of Admissions to the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple [1949] 1)