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Wenman Coke (ca. 1717 – 11 April 1776), known asWenman Roberts until 1750, was a British landowner and politician who sat in theHouse of Commons between 1753 and 1776.
Born Wenman Roberts, he was the son of Major Philip Roberts (a grandson ofSir Francis Wenman, 1st Baronet)[1][2] and Anne Coke, daughter of Edward Coke andCarey Newton. Heassumed the surname of Coke (pronounced "Cook") in lieu of hispatronymic in 1750. In 1759 he succeeded to the substantial estates of his uncle,Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, including the Cokefamily seat ofHolkham Hall,Norfolk. Wenman's great-great grandfather,Sir Lewes Roberts (1596–1641), was a British merchant with the Levant and East India companies and an economist/writer on foreign commerce topics. Wenman's mother, Anne Coke, descended from the great barrister and jurist SirEdward Coke and fromThomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds on her father, Edward Coke's side. Anne Coke descended fromMary Boleyn Carey andSir John Newton on her mother, Carey Newton's side. Anne Coke's grandfather, Sir John Newton, 3rd Baronet, was a third cousin ofSir Isaac Newton.[3]
Coke was returned to Parliament forDerby in 1772. At the1774 general election he was returned for both Derby andNorfolk, and chose to sit for the latter. He continued to represent this constituency until his death two years later.
Wenman Coke died in 1776. He had married Elizabeth Chamberlayne, daughter ofGeorge Chamberlayne, and had several children, includingThomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (6 May 1754 – 30 June 1842)[4] and Edward Coke (b. 28 June 1758).[5] His wife survived him by over 30 years and died in 1810.
His son Thomas succeeded him to Holkham Hall and, as Member of Parliament for Norfolk, he became an influential agricultural reformer. In 1837 theearldom of Leicester was revived in his favour.
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forHarwich 1753–1761 With:John Phillipson 1753–1756 Viscount Duncannon 1756–1758 Thomas Sewell 1758–1761 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forOkehampton 1761–1768 With:Alexander Forrester | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forDerby 1772–1774 With:Lord Frederick Cavendish | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forNorfolk 1774–1776 With:Sir Edward Astley | Succeeded by |