Background
Martin was born Charles Wykeham the son of Fiennes Wykeham of Leeds Castle Maidstone and his wife Eliza Bignell, daughter of R. Bignell. In 1821 his father assumed the additional name of Martin.
Martin was born Charles Wykeham the son of Fiennes Wykeham of Leeds Castle Maidstone and his wife Eliza Bignell, daughter of R. Bignell. In 1821 his father assumed the additional name of Martin.
He was educated at Eton College and at Balliol College, Oxford.
He was also a lieutenant-colonel of the 3rd Battalion Kent Volunteers and a Deputy Lieutenant and Justice of the Peace for Kent and a Justice of the Peace for Hampshire. He lost the seat at Newport in 1852 and stood unsuccessfully at Maidstone in 1853. He was elected Member of Parliament for West Kent at a by-election in 1857 but lost the seat in 1859.
At the 1865 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Newport again and re-elected in 1868 when representation was reduced to one member.
He held the seat until his death in 1870. Martin died at the age of 69.
Martin married firstly in 1828, Lady Jemima Isabella Cornwallis, daughter of James Mann, 5th Earl Cornwallis. Charles Wykeham Martin is the grandfather of Fiennes Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis, the great-grandfather of Wykeham Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis, and the great-great grandfather of Fiennes Neil Wykeham Cornwallis, 3rd Baron Cornwallis.
14th United Kingdom Parliament. 15th United Kingdom Parliament. 17th United Kingdom Parliament.
19th United Kingdom Parliament.
20th United Kingdom Parliament]
He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries, a corresponding member of the Academy d"Archeologie de Belgique, and a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society. Martin stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Newport (Isle of Wight) in 1837 but was elected Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for Newport in 1841.