Researching Charles Selwyn

He was the eldest son of the Rt Hon. Sir Charles Jasper Selwyn, Lord Justice of Appeal, and his first wife, Hester née Ravenshaw. He was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, before being commissioned in the Royal Horse Guards in 1878. He served with distinction with the regiment in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882. He made his home at Selwyn Court, Richmond, Surrey. In 1884 he married Isabella Constance Dalgety of Lockerley Hall, Romsey, Hampshire, the second daughter of Frederick Dalgety. He was promoted captain in 1885.

In 1885 Selwyn was selected as Conservative candidate to contest the new constituency of Wisbech, but was defeated by his Liberal opponent John Rigby. A further general election was held in 1886, and he again stood against Rigby, this time winning the seat to become Member of Parliament for Wisbech. He was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1886. Captain Selwyn threatened to horsewhip his younger sister's seducer, Colonel Francis Hughes-Hallett MP, if they ever crossed paths in the House of Commons. In 1890 he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Cambridgeshire.

In October 1890 Selwyn informed the local Conservative and Unionist Association that his health would not allow him to undertake a contested election. His health deteriorated to such a degree that he was forced to resign from the Commons on 4 July 1891 by accepting the office of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds. It has been suggested that his resignation was also, in part, due to pique at being refused a baronetcy.

He died aged 34 in Auckland, New Zealand on 1 March 1893. He was buried at St John's College, Auckland, which was established in 1843 by his uncle George Augustus Selwyn, the first Bishop of New Zealand.

Selwyn was a younger son of Lt.-Gen. William Selwyn, MP, of Matson, Gloucestershire and his wife Albinia Bettenson, daughter of Richard Bettenson of Scadbury, Kent. His father died in 1702 while Governor of Jamaica. Selwyn was commissioned into the Army as a young child in 1692, rising to the rank of Major. He was then appointed gentleman usher to the Princess of Wales in 1714 and became equerry to the Queen in 1727 on the accession of King George II.

Selwyn was returned unopposed by the government as Member of Parliament (MP) for Mitchell at the 1722 general election. At the 1727 general election, he was involved in a double return at Gloucester but was seated on 16 February 1728. He voted with the Administration on almost all occasions. He did not stand in 1734 but was elected Mayor of Gloucester for 1736. At the 1741 general election, his elder brother John Selwyn put him up for Ludgershall. After his return, his behavior in parliament was often troublesome and insulting and he was described in derogatory terms by Horace Walpole and others. His brother did not put him forward at the 1747 general election.

Selwyn married twice; firstly Mary Cook, the widow of William Houblon and secondly Anna Maria Geddes, the daughter of Thomas Hyde and widow of John Geddes. He died on 9 June 1749, having no children by either wife.