Musgrave, William, Sir, 1735-1800

Sir William Musgrave, 6th Baronet of Hayton Castle, Aspatria, Cumberland, England.

He was born on October 8, 1735, in Hayton Castle, Aspatria, Cumberland, England. He received his education at Houghton Spring School and began his legal career by entering the Middle Temple in 1753. He was called to the bar in 1758, and later became a Bencher in 1789 and a Reader and Treasurer in 1795. In 1765, he inherited the baronetcy as the 6th Baronet. Sir William Musgrave served as a Commissioner of Customs in 1763, and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1774 and its Vice President in 1780. He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries from 1778, and served as its Vice President in 1786. In addition, he became a Trustee of the British Museum in 1783 and Commissioner of Accounts in 1785. Sir William Musgrave authored "Musgrave’s Obituary prior to 1800," an index to obituaries in books and periodicals, which he later donated to the British Museum. The work was published in 6 volumes by the Harleian Society between 1899 and 1901.

In 1759, he married Lady Isabella Byron (Howard), 4th Countess of Carlisle (1721–1795). He died on January 3, 1800, in London, England.