Robert Walpole (1650-1700)
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Colonel Robert Walpole MP |
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| Member of Parliament for Castle Rising |
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In office January 1689 – 18 November 1700 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 November 1650 Norfolk, England |
| Died | 18 November 1700 (aged 50) |
| Nationality | English |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Burwell |
| Children | 19, including Robert, Horatio, Elizabeth, Galfridus, and Dorothy |
| Residence | Houghton Hall |
| Occupation | Politician and soldier |
Colonel Robert Walpole (18 November 1650 – 18 November 1700) was an English Whig politician and soldier who represented the borough of Castle Rising from 1689 to 1700 in the House of Commons of England. Because he held the rank of Colonel in the militia, he was widely known as Colonel Walpole. He is mainly notable for being the father of Sir Robert Walpole. His son, who served during the reigns of George I and George II, is considered to have been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain. He is also known for being the Guinness World Records titular for having the world's longest overdue book.
Robert Walpole was born in 1650 to Susan Walpole (née Crane) and Edward Walpole. His father ardently supported Charles II for restoration and would become a Knight of the Bath later in his life. Robert was born in Norfolk on the estate that the Walpole family had lived on for over four hundred years. Walpole owned Houghton Hall in Norfolk. In 1668 Walpole borrowed a German biography book about the Archbishop of Bremen from the library of Sidney Sussex College. It was finally found in 1956 when Professor John Plumb and the 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley discovered the book in Houghton Hall's library. The book was quickly returned, 288 years after it was checked out. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1689 where he would serve for 11 more years. During this time he would also serve as a colonel in the militia.
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