Sir Walter Yonge, 3rd Baronet (1653 – 18 July 1731) ofEscot in the parish ofTalaton, Devon, was an English landowner and Whig politician who sat in theEnglish andBritish House of Commons between 1679 and 1710.
Yonge was baptized on 8 September 1653, the son and heir ofSir Walter Yonge, 2nd Baronet (c.1625–1670) ofGreat House in the parish ofColyton, Devon and his wife Isabella Davie, daughter ofSir John Davie, 1st Baronet, of Sandford, Devon.[1] He matriculated atExeter College, Oxford in 1670.[2] He also succeeded his father in thebaronetcy in 1670. In 1677, he married Gertrude Morice, the daughter ofSir William Morice, 1st Baronet of Werrington, Devon.[1] In about 1680 he moved from his ancestral seat of Great House, Colyton, having built for himselfEscot House, a grand mansion in the parish ofTalaton in Devon, to the design ofRobert Hooke.[3] His father had purchased themanor ofMohuns Ottery in the parish ofLuppit, Devon,[4] and had started to build a new residence there, which the 3rd Baronet discontinued, preferring the situation of Escot.
Yonge was returned asMember of Parliament forHoniton from 1679 to 1689. In 1689 he was returned as MP forAshburton.[5] At the1690 English general election, he was returned for Honiton unopposed. He was a teller for the Whigs on several occasions and was a frequent speaker. He was also called upon to help draft many bills. In 1691, he married as his second wife, Gwen Williams, the daughter and coheiress ofSir Robert Williams, 2nd Baronet, of Penrhyn, Caernarvonshire. He was returned unopposed for Honiton again at the1695 English general election and signed the Association promptly. He voted to fix the price of guineas at 22 shillings on 26 March 1696 and spoke and voted for theattainder ofSir John Fenwick on 25 November 1696. At the1698 English general election he was returned unopposed again for Honiton and continued to act as teller and speak for the Administration. He was returned unopposed at the first general election of 1701. In November 1701, he resigned as commissioner of customs so that he could retain his parliamentary seat in accordance with the new place clause and was returned in a contest in the second general election of 1701. He was again a frequent teller for the Whigs.
At the1702 English general election Yonge was returned unopposed again, but he became far less active in Parliament. He voted against the Tack on 28 November 1704. He was returned in a contest at the1705 English general election, and voted for the Court candidate for Speaker on 25 October 1705. He supported the Court with regard to the 'place clause' in the regency bill on 18 February 1706. He was a teller on several occasions. At the1708 British general election, he was returned in a contest as a Whig for Honiton. He was involved in the passage of several bills and acted as teller on several occasions. He voted for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710. At the1710 British general election he was involved in a double return at Honiton, and the elections committee decided against his return. He did not stand for Parliament again, but in 1714 he took up the post of Commissioner of Customs again which he held for the rest of his life.[6]
Yonge on 18 July 1731 and was buried at Colyton. He had a daughter by his first wife and a son and three daughters by his second wife. He was succeeded by his sonSir William Yonge, 4th Baronet.[1]
| Parliament of England | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHoniton 1679–1685 With:Sir Thomas Putt | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forAshburton 1689–1690 With:Thomas Reynell | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHoniton 1690–1707 With:Sir William Drake | Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Parliament of England | Member of Parliament forHoniton 1707–1710 With:Sir William Drake | Succeeded by |
| Baronetage of England | ||
| Preceded by | Baronet (of Culliton) 1670–1731 | Succeeded by |
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| National | |
| Other | |
