Hugh Boscawen

Hugh Boscawen (1625 – 30 May 1701) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons on seven occasions between 1646 and 1701.

Origins Boscawen was the second son of Hugh Boscawen of Tregothnan, Cornwall by his wife Margaret Rolle, daughter of Robert Rolle (1560–1633) of Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe, Devon. He was baptised on 21 August 1625. His brothers were Nicholas Boscawen, Charles Boscawen (1627–1689), and Edward Boscawen (1628–1685). He and his brothers Charles and Edward were MPs in Cornwall. His brother Edward was the father of Hugh Boscawen, 1st Viscount Falmouth (1680–1734). The Boscawens are an ancient Cornish family. His father Hugh Boscawen (fl.1620) of Tregothnan was thirteenth in descent from a certain Henry de Boscawen. He derived a huge income from his copper mines at Chacewater and Gwennap where he was the principal landowner. The Chacewater mine, now known as Wheal Busy, was located in what was known at one time as "the richest square mile on Earth". During its life it produced over 100,000 tons of copper ore, and 27,000 tons of arsenic.

Career In December 1646, Boscawen was elected Member of Parliament for Cornwall in the second half or the Long Parliament but refused to sit after Pride's Purge in 1648. From 1647 to 1652 he was commissioner for assessment for Cornwall. He became a J.P. in 1651 and was again commissioner for assessment in 1657. He was re-elected MP for Cornwall in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament in which he attacked the abuses of the Protectorate. In December he signed the Cornish address for a free parliament. He was a colonel of the Militia from April 1660 to 1680, and a commissioner for oyer and terminer on the western circuit in July 1660. In 1661 he was elected MP for Tregoney for the Cavalier Parliament, where he sat until 1685. He was stannator at Blackmore in 1673 and commissioner for recusants in Cornwall in 1675. By 1690 he was recorder of Tregoney. He was re-elected MP for Cornwall in 1689 and held the seat until his death in 1701.

Death Boscawen died on 30 May 1701 at the age of 75.