Edward des Bouverie

Sir Edward des Bouverie, 2nd Baronet (1688 – 21 November 1736) was a British landowner and Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1719 to 1734. In 1717 he inherited his title three years after its grant to his father, and his combined wealth enabled him to purchase Longford Castle in Wiltshire, which later became a home of his brother's most senior descendants and has been in the family for more than 300 years.

Early life des Bouverie was born in 1688, the eldest son of London merchant Sir William des Bouverie and his second wife Anne Urry. The des Bouverie family was Huguenot and came to England in the 16th century settling at Canterbury. He trained as a merchant and was sent as an apprentice at the age of 12 to an uncle Sir Christopher des Bouverie at Aleppo. For a time he ran his own cloth business in Cyprus. des Bouverie was returned as a Tory Member of Parliament for Shaftesbury on 24 January 1719 on petition after a by-election. He was re-elected MP for Shaftesbury at the general elections of 1722 and 1727. In Parliament, he consistently voted with the Opposition against the Whig government. He did not stand in the general election of 1734.

Death and legacy des Bouverie died on 21 November 1736 at Aix-en-Provence aged 47 or 48. His wife Lady Mary had died on 3 January 1721, and was buried at Britford. They had no issue and on Sir Edward's death, he was succeeded by his younger brother Jacob. He was buried at Britford.