Brief Biography of William Frankland, Attorney General 1796-1816

A brief obituary, taken from a London paper, appeared in the Manks Advertiser, Thursday, June 20, 1816:

Died, on the 10th inst, at Malvern, in the 50th year of his age, WILLIAM FRANKLAND, Esq. second son of the late Admiral Sir Thomas Frankland, of Thirkleby, in Yorkshire, Bart. He was Member for Thirsk, in several successive Parliaments, a Fellow of All Souls College in Oxford, his Majesty's Attorney General in the Isle of Man, Lieut. Colonel of the North York Regiment of Militia; and formerly one of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty.

At the University, at the Bar, in the House of Commons, and among military men, his brilliant talents and extensive attainments made him equally conspicuous and acceptable. Few men have been more generally beloved, or will be more deeply regretted.- Courier.

In a letter to Lord Sidmouth in 1813 explaining and excusing his non-residence on the Island, he give a short background to his appointment:

appointed in 1796, on the recommendation of the Duke of Portland, who was then Secretary of State for the Home Department. He resided in the Island the greater part of the year 1797. In 1798 he was appointed secretary to the Duke of Portland. The appointment is denominated that of Private Secretary, but it is strictly of a public character and is borne upon the strength of the establishment of the office of Secretary of State. Upon the Duke of Portland quitting office in 1801, the Attorney General ceased to be his secretary, and in the same year came into Parliament. In 1803 he was appointed Lieut Colonel to the North York Militia : so that from 1797 to the present day he may be considered as either having had the direct command, or the direct or implied permission of the Sovereign Lord of the island himself, to give his attendance on this side of the water.

This non-residence was targeted many times by the Duke of Atholl, who wished to see him replaced by one of his own placemen, Robert Stuart, son of George Stuart, architect to the Duke.

The Parliamentary side of his career is well covered in the given reference which concludes with a quote from Joseph Jekyll: "Poor Frankland, Attorney-General of the Isle [of Man] ... is in an atrophy and his intellects totally impaired — what a stout active lively being he was! only a year ago"

His resignation letter is dated 2nd February 1815 but as agreed with Lord Sidmouth, kept secret until a successor had been found and appointed - the Duke of Atholl hearing rumours of the resignation wrote to Sidmouth again suggesting his placeman Robert Stuart as Attorney General but Sidmouth added a note that the Duke had been misinformed and Frankland had not resigned.

However Frankland's final illness (a stroke?) did cause difficulty for the Acting Attorney General Thomas Gawne.

Reference

historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/frankland-william-1761-1816