August 9th Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville
     

 

 

 

 

 

Born on this day in 1757, Francis Basset, 1st Baron de Dunstanville and Basset (1757 – 1835) of Tehidy was a politician who engaged in conflicts with Viscount Falmouth for the political domination of Cornwall and was involved in a bitter election in Penryn.

The Bassets of Tehidy were considered the junior branch of the family, with the senior line resident at Heanton Court of Barnstable, but the Tehidy Bassets owned far more land and, with their mineral rights and tin mines were far wealthier, than their Devonian cousins. 

Educated at Harrow, Eton and King’s College, Cambridge he left university for a Grand Tour of Europe where his portrait (above) was painted.  On his return in 1778, he became Member of Parliament for the family’s pocket borough of Penryn many of whose electors were Basset tenants. Penryn returned two members, the other being Sir John St Aubyn, grandson of the 3rd baronet (September 27th).

Basset was one of the three dominant political manipulators in Cornwall, the others being Viscount Falmouth and Sir Christopher Hawkins (April 6th).  Relations with Hawkins led to a duel in 1810 but neither were injured.

In 1799, with serious threats of a French invasion Basset sent six hundred of his miners to strengthen the fortifications of Plymouth for which he was made a baronet.   

Basset was elevated to the peerage, as Baron de Dunstanville (June 17th, 1796) and then also as Baron Basset of Stratton (November 30th, 1797).  The latter peerage was awarded with a special remainder to his daughter, Frances Basset, to enable her to inherit that title. 

Basset was married twice, firstly to Frances Susanna Hippesley-Coxe of Stone Easton Park in North East Somerset who predeceased him and secondly (July 13th, 1824) to Harriet Lemon (1777–1864), the granddaughter William Lemon of Carclew (March 25th) and his wife Jane Buller.

His second marriage, to a much younger woman, occurred when he was nearly seventy and, coming quickly after the death of Frances,  scandalised society and was presumed to be to produce a male heir which did not happen.

 

 

 



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