Bobby Shafto: Difference between revisions
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==Biography== |
==Biography== |
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Robert Shafto was born around 1732<ref>The date of his birth appears to be contradictory from a number of sources. [http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm Whitworth Hall] claims it to be 1730, but the majority claim 1732.</ref> at his family seat of [[Whitworth Hall, County Durham|Whitworth]] near [[Spennymoor]] in County Durham. He was educated at [[Westminster School]], London from 1740 to 1749, when he entered [[Balliol College, Oxford]].<ref name=Kilburn2004>Jessica Kilburn, 'Shafto, Robert (c.1732–1797)' ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).</ref> |
Robert Shafto was born around 1732<ref>The date of his birth appears to be contradictory from a number of sources. [http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm Whitworth Hall] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929113404/http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm |date=29 September 2006 }} claims it to be 1730, but the majority claim 1732.</ref> at his family seat of [[Whitworth Hall, County Durham|Whitworth]] near [[Spennymoor]] in County Durham. He was educated at [[Westminster School]], London from 1740 to 1749, when he entered [[Balliol College, Oxford]].<ref name=Kilburn2004>Jessica Kilburn, 'Shafto, Robert (c.1732–1797)' ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).</ref> |
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He succeeded to the family estate on the death of his father John in 1742.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> Both his father and uncle [[Robert Shafto (1690-1729)|Robert Shafto]] had been [[Tory]] [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Members of Parliament]] (MPs).<ref>[http://www.thenortheast.fsnet.co.uk/Surnames%20of%20North%20East%20England.htm#SHAFTO North Eastern surnames website], URL accessed 30 September 2006</ref> He continued this tradition becoming MP for [[County Durham (UK Parliament constituency)|County Durham]] in 1760, using his nickname "Bonny Bobby Shafto" and the now famous song for electioneering purposes, defeating the [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]] [[Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet|Sir Thomas Clavering]], with a campaign supported by [[Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington|Henry Vane]], first earl of Darlington, [[Thomas Pelham-Holles]], duke of Newcastle and the bishop of Durham.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> However, once in parliament he dropped this allegiance, supporting the administrations of [[John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute]] and [[William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham|Pitt the elder]]. He held the Durham seat for two parliaments until he declined to stand in the election of 1768.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> |
He succeeded to the family estate on the death of his father John in 1742.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> Both his father and uncle [[Robert Shafto (1690-1729)|Robert Shafto]] had been [[Tory]] [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Members of Parliament]] (MPs).<ref>[http://www.thenortheast.fsnet.co.uk/Surnames%20of%20North%20East%20England.htm#SHAFTO North Eastern surnames website], URL accessed 30 September 2006</ref> He continued this tradition becoming MP for [[County Durham (UK Parliament constituency)|County Durham]] in 1760, using his nickname "Bonny Bobby Shafto" and the now famous song for electioneering purposes, defeating the [[Whig (British political party)|Whig]] [[Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet|Sir Thomas Clavering]], with a campaign supported by [[Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington|Henry Vane]], first earl of Darlington, [[Thomas Pelham-Holles]], duke of Newcastle and the bishop of Durham.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> However, once in parliament he dropped this allegiance, supporting the administrations of [[John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute]] and [[William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham|Pitt the elder]]. He held the Durham seat for two parliaments until he declined to stand in the election of 1768.<ref name=Kilburn2004/> |
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{{main|Bobby Shafto's Gone to Sea}} |
{{main|Bobby Shafto's Gone to Sea}} |
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The song is said to relate the story of how he broke the heart of Bridget Belasyse of [[Brancepeth Castle]], County Durham, where his brother Thomas was [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]], when he married Anne Duncombe of [[Duncombe Park]] in Yorkshire. Bridget Belasyse is said to have died two weeks after hearing the news,<ref>[http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/eecsb.nsf/a/famous_names?opendocument Famous North Eastern names] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907015455/http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/eecsb.nsf/a/famous_names?opendocument |date=7 September 2006 }}, URL accessed 30 September 2006</ref> although other sources claim that she died a fortnight before the wedding of [[pulmonary tuberculosis]].<ref name="Whitworth Hall history">[http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm Whitworth Hall history], URL accessed 30 September 2006.</ref> Even if the song was not composed about him, his supporters almost certainly added a verse for the 1761 elections with the lyrics: |
The song is said to relate the story of how he broke the heart of Bridget Belasyse of [[Brancepeth Castle]], County Durham, where his brother Thomas was [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]], when he married Anne Duncombe of [[Duncombe Park]] in Yorkshire. Bridget Belasyse is said to have died two weeks after hearing the news,<ref>[http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/eecsb.nsf/a/famous_names?opendocument Famous North Eastern names] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060907015455/http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/eecsb.nsf/a/famous_names?opendocument |date=7 September 2006 }}, URL accessed 30 September 2006</ref> although other sources claim that she died a fortnight before the wedding of [[pulmonary tuberculosis]].<ref name="Whitworth Hall history">[http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm Whitworth Hall history] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929113404/http://www.whitworthhall.co.uk/history/morehistory.htm |date=29 September 2006 }}, URL accessed 30 September 2006.</ref> Even if the song was not composed about him, his supporters almost certainly added a verse for the 1761 elections with the lyrics: |
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:Bobby Shafto's looking out, |
:Bobby Shafto's looking out, |
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Revision as of 05:30, 4 January 2018
Robert Shafto | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for County Durham | |
| In office 1760–1768 | |
| Preceded by | George Bowes |
| Succeeded by | Sir Thomas Clavering |
| Member of Parliament for Downton | |
| In office 1780–1790 | |
| Preceded by | Hon. Bartholomew Bouverie |
| Succeeded by | Hon. Bartholomew Bouverie |
Robert Shafto (sometimes spelt Shaftoe) (circa 1732 – November 1797) was an 18th-century British Member of Parliament (MP), who was the likeliest subject of a famous North East English folk song (Roud #1359) and nursery rhyme "Bobby Shafto's Gone to Sea".
Biography
Robert Shafto was born around 1732[1] at his family seat of Whitworth near Spennymoor in County Durham. He was educated at Westminster School, London from 1740 to 1749, when he entered Balliol College, Oxford.[2]
He succeeded to the family estate on the death of his father John in 1742.[2] Both his father and uncle Robert Shafto had been Tory Members of Parliament (MPs).[3] He continued this tradition becoming MP for County Durham in 1760, using his nickname "Bonny Bobby Shafto" and the now famous song for electioneering purposes, defeating the Whig Sir Thomas Clavering, with a campaign supported by Henry Vane, first earl of Darlington, Thomas Pelham-Holles, duke of Newcastle and the bishop of Durham.[2] However, once in parliament he dropped this allegiance, supporting the administrations of John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute and Pitt the elder. He held the Durham seat for two parliaments until he declined to stand in the election of 1768.[2]
Shafto married Anne Duncombe (died 1783), daughter and heir of Thomas Duncombe of Duncombe Park, Yorkshire, on 18 April 1774. Shafto and his wife had three children, John (1775–1802), Robert (1776–1848), and Thomas (born 1777). His wife, Anne, had inherited property in the 'rotten' borough of Downton in Wiltshire and he became its MP in 1780.[2] He is known to have supported William Pitt the Younger during the regency crisis of 1788–9.[2] He did not seek re-election in 1790. Robert Shafto died in November 1797, and is buried in the Shafto family crypt beneath the floor of Whitworth Church.[4]
The song
The song is said to relate the story of how he broke the heart of Bridget Belasyse of Brancepeth Castle, County Durham, where his brother Thomas was rector, when he married Anne Duncombe of Duncombe Park in Yorkshire. Bridget Belasyse is said to have died two weeks after hearing the news,[5] although other sources claim that she died a fortnight before the wedding of pulmonary tuberculosis.[4] Even if the song was not composed about him, his supporters almost certainly added a verse for the 1761 elections with the lyrics:
- Bobby Shafto's looking out,
- All his ribbons flew about,
- All the ladies gave a shout,
- Hey for Bobby Shafto![6]
Thomas and George Allan, in their Tyneside Songs and Readings (1891), argued that the "Bobby Shafto" of the song was in fact a relative, Robert Shafto (1760–1781) of Benwell.[7] It is likely that his grandson, Robert Duncombe Shafto, also used the song for electioneering in 1861, with several of the later verses being added around this time.[4]
References
- ^ The date of his birth appears to be contradictory from a number of sources. Whitworth Hall Archived 29 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine claims it to be 1730, but the majority claim 1732.
- ^ a b c d e f Jessica Kilburn, 'Shafto, Robert (c.1732–1797)' Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).
- ^ North Eastern surnames website, URL accessed 30 September 2006
- ^ a b c Whitworth Hall history Archived 29 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine, URL accessed 30 September 2006.
- ^ Famous North Eastern names Archived 7 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine, URL accessed 30 September 2006
- ^ I. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 90–1.
- ^ Famous North Eastern names Archived 7 September 2006 at the Wayback Machine, giving this opinion. URL accessed 30 September 2006
External links
- Famous North Eastern people
- Portrait of his son, Robert by Sir Joshua Reynolds
- Midi file of "Bobby Shafto"
This article is incorrect in that it does not explain the lyric of the song. Bobby ShaftoE was an officer in the Royal Navy around Nelson's time - hence, Bobby Shaftoe's gone to sea - silver buckles on his kneee.... Edited by Christopher F. Shaftoe
- 1732 births
- 1797 deaths
- People from Downton, Wiltshire
- People from Spennymoor
- People educated at Westminster School, London
- Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford
- English folk songs
- Northumbrian folklore
- Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
- British MPs 1754–61
- British MPs 1761–68
- British MPs 1774–80
- British MPs 1780–84
- British MPs 1784–90
- Songs about politicians