Charles Abbot, Baron Colchester

Charles Abbot, 1st Baron Colchester was buried in the middle aisle of the north transept of Westminster Abbey on 14th May 1829 in an unmarked grave. He was a son of the Reverend Dr. John Abbot (died 1760), rector of All Saints, Colchester in Essex, and his wife Sarah, daughter of Jonathan Farr, citizen and draper of London. Charles' mother was buried in the same transept on 3rd October 1809 aged 76. She had married secondly, at St Margaret's Westminster on 14th October 1766, Jeremiah Bentham (father of the celebrated Jeremy Bentham).

Charles' brother was John Farr Abbot (died 1794 and buried in York Minster). His wife Mary, who died in Naples in 1793, was buried in the Pearce family grave in this transept in March 1794. She was a daughter of Thomas Pearce and granddaughter of William (buried here in 1783).

His Life

Charles was born on 14th October 1757 at Abingdon and educated at Westminster School and Oxford university. He became a lawyer and Member of Parliament. In 1801 he introduced a bill which was the origin of the Census. From 1802 until retirement in 1817 he was Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1796 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Philip Gibbes of Barbados, and had two sons. He was created Baron Colchester in 1817 and was a trustee of the British Museum. His son Charles (1798-1867) was also educated at Westminster School and became an Admiral and 2nd Baron Colchester.

Further reading

Diary and Correspondence, 3 vols, edited by Charles, 2nd Baron Colchester.

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004