William Courtenay 1676-1735

Sir William COURTENAY, 2nd baronet 1676-1735

Courtenay's bookplate (British Museum Franks Collection *142)

Biographical Note

Son of Francis Courtenay of Powderham Castle, Devon, MP (1652-99); he inherited the Powderham estate, and the baronetcy, from his grandfather in 1702. Matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford in 1695, but did not graduate. MP for Devon 1701-35, Lord Lieutenant of Devon 1714-16.

Books

Courtenay used an engraved armorial bookplate, dated 1703 (Franks *142). The extent of his library is not known; his will has no mention of books, and is largely concerned with the distribution of landed estate and money around his children (his principal heir being his eldest son William, later 1st Viscount Courtenay).

Sources

• Will of Sir William Courtenay, The National Archives PROB 11/675/93.
• Sir William Courtenay, Wikipedia.
• History of Parliament.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903-4.