Christopher, the elder son, was the purchaser, from his cousin, Samuel, of Doddington, in Gloucestershire, and was appointed to succeed his father in the government of the Leeward Islands, in 1698. Among his great possessions in the West Indies, he had an estate called “Betty’s Hope,” in Antigua, from whence, 22 Feb. 1702, was dated his will, making such munificent bequests for the foundation of a college in Barbados, and to All Souls’ College, Oxford, which is thus described in a contemporary work, among the remarkable events of the year 1710:— “About the same time (21 July, 1710) came advice from the Leeward Islands of the death of Col. Christopher Codrington, for some time captain-general of those Islands. He left the bulk of his estate to his cousin-german, Col. William Codrington, of Barbados, (and also of Antigua,) which is reckoned to amount to 40,000l. and upwards. He most generously bequeathed 20,000l. to the Society for Propagating the Faith in that part of the world; and having for many years been Fellow of All Souls’, Oxford, gave that college 10,000l., as also his noble library, valued at 6000l. more. He ordered his body to be buried there, and allowed only 20l. for a gravestone upon it, but left 1500l. for erecting a monument for his father in Westminster Abbey.” And to his remaining estates, his cousin, Col. William Codrington succeeded accordingly. He was a Member of the Council of the Island of Antigua, and son of Col. John Codrington, of the Life-guards, Barbados, by his wife, the dau. of Col. Bates, of the same island. Col. William Codrington is spoken of in very high terms by “Oldmixon,” in his “British Empire in America,” as one of the two men of the best heads and best fortunes in British America, (Col. Edward Byam, as already mentioned, being the other,) and was very deservedly created a Baronet, 21 April, 1721. He died 17 Dec. 1738, leaving by his wife, Elizabeth, dau. of William Bethel, of Swindon, co. York, Esq., four sons,
i. William, second Bart., who succeeded him, and of whom hereafter.
ii. John-Archibald, died s. p. in 1759.
iii. Christopher, m., and died s. p. in 1797.
iv. Edward.
To John Archibald he bequeathed his Barbados estates. To Christopher he bequeathed an estate called “Rooms’s,” in Antigua. To Edward the Folly estate in that island, (now modernized into “Bath Lodge,”) and comprising “Betty’s Hope,” the “Cotton Estate,” and the “Cables,” all in the Island of Antigua, and the entire Island of Barbuda, in the general bequest to his eldest son and successor.
Sir William, second Bart., M.P. for Minehead, co. Somerset, dying 11 March, 1792, left, by Anne, his wife, the dau. of — Acton, Esq., a son and heir of his own name—viz.,
Sir William, third Bart., who died in France in 1816, whereupon his cousin,
Christopher-Bethel Codrington, of Dodington Park, co. Gloucester, assumed the title, asserting his cousin to have died in France, without lawful issue. He was the son of Edward, by his wife, Rebecca Le Sturgeon, and grandson of Sir William, the first Bart., the son of Col. John Codrington, Treasurer of Barbados, by his wife, the dau. of Col. Bates, of the same island, as already mentioned. Besides Christopher-Bethel, of Dodington Park, Edward was the father of Sir Edward Codrington, the hero of Navarino, G.C.B., K.S.L., K.S.G., and Rear-Admiral of the Blue; and also of Caroline, the wife of Joseph-Lyons Walrond, of Walrond’s and Lyon’s Estates, in Antigua, and of Dulford House, co. Devon, and by whom she has, Bethel Walrond, Esq., formerly M.P. for Sudbury, who m. in 1829, Lady Janet Erskine, dau. of the Earl of Rosslyn. Sir Christopher-Bethel, of Dodington Park, aforesaid, m. 15 Aug. 1796, the Hon. Carolina-Georgiana-Harriott Foley, dau. of Thomas, second Lord Foley, (by Harriott, dau. of William, second Earl of Harrington, by Caroline Fitzroy, dau. of Charles, second Duke of Grafton, K.G.,) and by her had, (among other children,)
Sir William-Christopher, the present Bart., born 12 March, 1805, and m. Lady Georgiana Somerset, dau. of his Grace the present Duke of Beaufort.