 He was educated at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon, (now Abingdon School).He received his later education at Christ Church, Oxford, and was a Bachelor of Civil Law and fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.In 1778 he succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his elder brother Francis, who was the favourite aide-de-camp to General John Burgoyne in North America, and was mortally wounded at Saratoga.