Richard Bethell (1772–1864)

Richard Bethell (10 May 1772 – 25 December 1864) was a British Tory and then Conservative Party politician from Rise in the East Riding of Yorkshire. He sat in the House of Commons between 1830 and 1841.

Life
He was the son of the Rev. Richard Bethell, rector of Wallingford, and was born at Isleworth. He was educated at Eton College, and matriculated at King's College, Cambridge in 1791, graduating B.A. in 1795. He was a Fellow of King's from 1794 to 1799.

Bethell was the heir of William Bethell (died 1799) of Watton Abbey in Yorkshire, the younger brother of Hugh Bethell (died 1772), Member of Parliament for. When William Bethell died, he inherited property at Rise and Watton Abbey. He was High Sheriff of Yorkshire from 1822 to 1823. At the 1830 general election, he was elected as one of the four Members of Parliament (MPs) for Yorkshire. He did not contest the seat in 1831, but when the Yorkshire constituency was divided under the Reform Act 1832, he was elected at the 1832 general election as one of the two MPs for the East Riding of Yorkshire. He was re-elected in 1835 and 1837, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1841 general election.