Whitshed Keene

Whitshed Keene (c. 1731–1822) was an Irish soldier in the British Army and a politician who sat in the House of Commons for 50 years between 1768 and 1818.

He soon became acquainted with Lord Hertford, then ambassador, and became his master of the horse and gradually his intimate dependant.

He married Elizabeth Legge, daughter of George, Viscount Lewisham on 1 August 1771.

[2] At the 1774 general election Keene was returned unopposed at Montgomery on the Powis interest.

Keene took up hs post in January 1779 and was paid £2,000 from secret service funds for his loss of salary etc.

[2] Keene continued to sit for Montgomery for the rest of his parliamentary life on the interest of the Earls of Powis and was returned unopposed in 1784, 1790 and 1796.

Whitshed Keene in 1816
Hatchment to John Weyland, Esquire, of Woodrising, Norfolk, in Holy Trinity Church, Scoulton, Norfolk, who on 12 March 1799 married Elizabeth Keene, daughter and heiress of Whitshed Keene. Arms: Ermine, on a cross gules five escallops argent (Weyland) impaling: Azure, a talbot passant or on a chief indented argent three crosses-crosslet sable (Keene) [ 1 ]