Roger Newdigate

Roger Newdigate studied at University College, Oxford and Westminster School. The recorded working language is English. Residence is recorded at Arbury Hall. Positions recorded include member of the 11th Parliament of Great Britain and member of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain. Work by Roger Newdigate is recorded in the collections of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen.

• Name — Sir Roger Newdigate • Constituency Mp1 — Oxford University • Predecessor1 — Henry Hyde • Successor1 — William Dolben • Term Start1 — 1751 • Term End1 — 1780 • Constituency Mp2 — Middlesex • Predecessor2 — William Pulteney • Successor2 — William Beauchamp-Proctor • Term Start2 — 1742 • Term End2 — 1747 • Birth Name — Roger Newdigate • Born — 30 May 1719 • Birthplace — Arbury, Warwickshire, England • Died — 23 November 1806 • Place of death — Arbury, Warwickshire, England • Party — Tory • Alma Mater — University College, Oxford • Occupation — Politician, architect

Newdigate was born in Arbury, Warwickshire, the son of Sir Richard Newdigate, 3rd Baronet (who died in 1727) and inherited the title 5th Baronet and the estates of Arbury and of Harefield in Middlesex on the early death of his brother in 1734. He was educated at Westminster School and University College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1736, and graduated M.A. in 1738; he contributed greatly to the university throughout the remainder of his life. He is best remembered as the founder of the Newdigate Prize on his death and as a collector of antiques, a number of which he donated to the university. The prize for poetry helped make the names of many illustrious writers.

From 1742 until 1747, he served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Middlesex, and in 1751, he began a 30-year tenure as an MP for Oxford University. In 1759 he was commissioned as Major of the Warwickshire Militia and served with the regiment during its embodiment for home defence during the Seven Years' War, keeping a diary of his service. • Illustration — Arbury Hall c. 1880 He lavished attention on the Elizabethan Arbury Hall which he rebuilt over a period of thirty years in splendid Gothic Renaissance style, engaging the services of the architect Henry Couchman.

He married, firstly Sophia Conyers in 1743, and secondly Hesther Margaret Munday in 1776. Both marriages were childless and on his death in 1806 the baronetcy became extinct. Arbury Hall and Harefield passed to Francis Parker (1774–1862) of Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire, a distant cousin of the 5th Baronet, who then adopted the additional name of Newdigate. Francis Parker moved into Arbury Hall and married Lady Barbara Maria Legge, daughter of George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth, in 1820.

The authorities additionally record the headings Sir Newdigate, Sir Roger Newdigate, Roger, Sir Newdigate, Roger Newdigate Sir and Sir Roger Newdigate, 5th Bt. His recorded language was English. He was the child of Sir Richard Newdigate, 3rd Bt. And Elizabeth Twisden. He married Sophia Conyers and Hester Mundy.

Recorded positions include member of the 11th Parliament of Great Britain, member of the 9th Parliament of Great Britain, member of the 10th Parliament of Great Britain, member of the 12th Parliament of Great Britain and member of the 13th Parliament of Great Britain. He worked at Arbury Hall.