Biography[edit]

He was born a younger son of Sir John Wrottesley Bt MP, by Frances, the daughter of the Hon. John Grey MP of Enville. He was educated at Winchester College (1736-38) and St John's College, Oxford (1739). He did not graduate at Oxford,^[2] but later graduated at Cambridge (admitted to St John's College, Cambridge and graduated M.A. in 1756; admitted to Queens' College, Cambridge and graduated LL.D. in 1764).^[3]


He succeeded his elder brother Sir Walter Wrottesley as baronet in 1732.^[4]


It is said that when Bonnie Prince Charlie was marching south through England during the course of his rebellion, Sir Richard, a regular duellist, armed his tenants and gathered his servants to do battle but he reportedly never got further than a local inn, The Bull at Codsall, where his small team of men spent a convivial week.^[5]


He became M.P. for Tavistock in December 1747, holding the seat until 1754. He was appointed a Clerk of the Green Cloth from 1749 to 1754.


He became a Church official, being appointed minister of St Michael's in Tettenhall.^[5] He was appointed chaplain in ordinary to the King, George III, in 1763 and collated Dean of Worcester for life in 1765.


He married Lady Mary Leveson-Gower, the daughter of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower and Evelyn Pierrepont, in 1739.^[6]


He died in 1769.