William Bagot 1728-1798

William BAGOT, 1st Baron Bagot 1728-1798

Bagot's armorial stamp (British Armorial Bindings)

Biographical Note

Son of Sir Walter Wagstaffe Bagot, 5th bart, from whom he inherited the title and family estates in 1768. He matriculated at Magdalen College, Oxford in 1747, but did not graduate; he travelled in Europe 1749-52. He was MP for Staffordshire 1754-80, where he was an active parliamentarian, a frequent speaker, and a supporter of Lord North's government. In 1780 he was made 1st Baron Bagot.

Books

Numerous books with Bagot's armorial bookstamp are recorded in the Armorials Database, and will be found in libraries around the world. We do not know the extent of his library, but in his will he expressed the wish that his books (together with his coins, medals, marbles, furniture and pictures) should not be sold but remain with his estate, inherited by his son William, who succeeded as 2nd Baron. The family library, at Blithfield Hall, Staffordshire was dispersed by Sotheby's, 26 November 1945.

Bagot's inscription, from a copy of J. Bernard, A geographical dictionary, 1700, private collection

Characteristic Markings

A copy of J. Bernard, A geographical dictionary, 1700, with the armorial bookstamp, has the inscription 'W. Bagot' on the pastedown, above a shelfmark L.3-3.

Sources