Augustus Cavendish Bradshaw (17 February 1768 – 11 November 1832), of Putney, Surrey and High Elms, near Watford, Hertfordshire, was an English politician, best remembered today for his role as co-respondent in the Westmeath divorce case of 1796.
[1] He was born a younger son of Sir Henry Cavendish, 2nd Baronet of Doveridge Hall, Derbyshire and Phoenix Park, Dublin and his wife Sarah Bradshaw, 1st Baroness Waterpark, and was educated at Repton School and Trinity College, Cambridge.
[2] He was an MP for Honiton in the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 13 March 1805 to 1812 and for Castle Rising from 1812 to February 1817.
The divorce, on the grounds of Maryanne's adultery with Bradshaw (which was not seriously disputed), had aroused huge public interest and the associated action for criminal conversation brought by Lord Westmeath (this was then a necessary first step towards obtaining a divorce) resulted in large damages being awarded against Bradshaw in favour of the Earl, although it is unlikely that the money was ever paid, given Bradshaw's chronic lack of funds.
Her daughter-in-law once recorded indignantly that Maryanne had proposed that she have an affair with the Duke of Wellington, to advance the family's fortunes.