William Archer (British politician)

William Archer (born Eyre; 4 June 1677 – 30 June 1739) was an English politician who represented Berkshire from 6 February 1734 until his death.^[1]

He was born William Eyre, the second but first surviving son of William Eyre of Holme Hall and Highlow Hall, Derbyshire, and Catherine Gell, daughter of politician Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet. He entered Gray's Inn in 1696 and was called to the bar in 1705. He became a bencher in 1724.^[1]

He was extreme wealthly. In addition to his own family's wealth, in 1706, he inherited the estates of Sir John Archer at Coopersale, Essex and Welford, Berkshire, with the stipulation that he take his name and marry Archer's niece, Eleanor Wrottesley, daughter of Sir Walter Wrottesley, 3rd Baronet. They had no children. Eleanor died 2 May 1717, after which he married secondly Susanna, daughter of Sir John Newton, 3rd Baronet, of Barrs Court. Through his second wife he inherited further estates from her brother, the fourth baronet, who died childless.^[1]

A Tory, Archer entered Parliament at a by-election in 1734 after the death of Sir John Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet in 1733, and was returned unopposed later in the general election a few months later. He voted against the address on the Spanish Convention of 1739.^[1] He died in office, 30 June 1739, age 59.^[2]

With his second wife, he had a son, John Archer,^[3] and a daughter, Susanna, who in 1751 married Edward Harley, 4th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer.^[4] At the time of her marriage to the earl, Susanna's inheritance was worth £50,000 (equivalent to £7,085,172 in 2015).^[1]

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