Townshend, Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount

Townshend, Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount (1674–1738). Townshend succeeded to his peerage and the headship of the leading Norfolk political family in 1687. Though from a Tory background, he became a Whig closely associated with the Junto, specializing in foreign affairs. In 1713 he married Robert Walpole's sister and the following year became secretary of state for the northern department. Shifted to the less powerful post of lord-lieutenant of Ireland in 1717, he resigned from the government along with Walpole and remained in opposition during the Whig schism until 1720 when he became lord president of the council, returning to the northern department the following year. From 1722 he and Walpole ran the administration, with Townshend concentrating on foreign affairs, and though Walpole can be considered first minister because of his control of the Treasury, the ministry should be viewed as a duumvirate until at least 1727 when Townshend began to lose ground to his brother-in-law. Disagreement over foreign policy led to his resignation from the ministry in 1730. In retirement he devoted himself to agriculture on his estate at Rainham, and has come down to posterity as ‘Turnip Townshend’.

Clyve Jones