Background
Scourfield was the son of Henry Scourfield and his wife Elizabeth (daughter of Rev John Ewer of Bangor), of the Scourfield family of New Moat and Robeston Hall. Scourfield was educated at New College, Oxford and on 27 October 1804 he married Maria Goate, daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Edward Goate of Brent Eleigh Hall, Suffolk.
Despite his father having moved the family from New Moat in Pembrokeshire to Robeston Hall near Milford Haven, purchased from the pioneer industrialist Thomas Kymer, Scourfield returned to New Moat on his father"s death in 1805 and proceed to rebuild the old estate, The Mote.
Career
That same year he was also appointed High Sheriff of Pembrokeshire. He was re-elected unopposed in 1820 but in 1826 the seat was taken by Milford"s heir Richard Phillips, who had come of age. Although William Holmes wrote to Robert Peel in 1823, stating that Scourfield held the seat in opposition to Milford’s interest, it was truer that Scourfield was an independent Parliamentarian, with a greater desire to serve his constituents than be involved in political machinations.
Membership
6th United Kingdom Parliament. 7th United Kingdom Parliament. 12th United Kingdom Parliament]
Kensington, who had sat as Member of Parliament for Haverfordwest with Milford"s support, was obliged to lose the seat at the coming election.
Milford had earmarked Scourfield for the seat of Haverfordwest since 1805, and with Kensingtons"s support, Scourfield became Member of Parliament for Haverfordwest in 1818.
