Penkridge Parliamentary History, 1603 - 1700

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1604

Sir Robert Stanford

Sir Edward Littleton

 

1607

By election on death of Sir Robert

Sir John Egerton


 

1611

By election as Sir Edward “too infirm to attend Parliament”.

Francis Trentham Esq.

 

Sir Edward Littleton, “a very honest and religious gentleman as I hear”. Sheriff 1581-2, JP 184-1601, 1603-11. Knighted 1584, died 1611

 

1614  The “Addled Parliament”

Sir Walter Chetwynd

Thomas Crompton Esq.

 

Thomas Crompton, of Stone, 1614, 1621-2, 1628-9. First MP for county for nearly 200 years to come from outside the old county families. “Roundhead” connections – son, Col. Crompton a Cromwellian MP.

 

 

1621-2

30th November, 1620

Sir William Bowyer

Thomas Crompton

 

Sir William Bowyer, born c. 1588, of Knypersley. All associations “roundhead”. Acquired great wealth from coal and iron mines at Biddulph and Tunstall.

 

1624

Sir William Bowyer

Sir Edward Littleton

 

Sir Edward Littleton, born c. 1576, Inner Temple 1595, d. 1629.

 

1625

Sir Simon Weston

Richard Erdeswick Esq.

 

Richard Erdeswick of Sandon, 1629 prevented from fleeing the country for debt, sold Sandon to the Digbys. Vanished from Staffordshire and all record of him lost. Suggests that he arranged to be elected MP in order to escape imprisonment for debt.

 

1626

Sir William Weston

Sir William Bowyer


 

1628

Sir Harvey Bagot

Thomas Crompton Esq

 

Sir Harvey Bagot, of Blithefield. Born 1591, an energetic royalist. Disabled for raising troops against Parliament. Too old to fight in Civil War, surrendered at Lichfield, July 1646. Died 1660.

 

1640  The Short Parliament

Sir Edward Littleton

Sir William Bowyer

 

Sir Edward Litteton, born 1598, in early life a strong Parliamentarian. As sheriff 1636-7 had to collect Ship Money. He was a commissioner for disarming recusants in Staffordshire, 1641.  Some time around 1643, changed sides. March 1644 he was disabled from sitting in Parliament. He fought through the war and surrendered with the Worcester garrison in July, 1646.

 

There followed a disastrous time for the Littleton family. Sir Edward was charged with being “a delinquent in arms against Parliament”. His efforts to “compound” his crime, ie be let off on payment of a fine was hampered by his being outlawed for his debts. He had stood surety for his father-in-law who had borrowed £25,000 to lend to the king. The estate was sequestered and Sir Edward died in 1657.

 

 

1640 – 1653  The Long Parliament

 

3rd November, 1640

Sir Edward Littleton

Sir William Bowyer

 

15th March 1641

Bowyer died, replaced by

Sir Harvey Bagot

 

November 1642

Bagot disabled by Parliament for being a Royalist

 

March 1644

Sir Edward Littleton disabled “for neglecting the service of the House and going to the other party”.

 

31st July 1646

Probably the first contested Staffordshire county election and the last for over a century

 

John Bowyer Esq.  920 votes  elected

Sir Richard Skeffington  621 votes  elected

Crompton  613 votes

Col. Ridgley (Rugeley)

 

June 1647

Skeffington died, replaced by Thomas Crompton Esq.

 

6th December 1648

Bowyer excluded from Parliament by Col. Pride’s Purge. Crompton sat alone for Staffordshire until April 1653.

 

John Bowyer, son of Sir William, fought at Hopton Heath and took a leading part in the capture of Eccleshall Castle. Excluded in “Pride’s Purge” and described in 1651 as “dangerous and disaffected”. Would not accept supremacy of Cromwell as Lord Protector. Returned in the Rump Parliament of 1660 and voted through the Restoration of Charles II. Knighted in 1660.

 

1653    The Convention Parliament summoned by Cromwell as leader of the army

Met 4th July 1653 and dissolved itself 12 December 1653 with the resolution, “That the sitting of this Parliament any longer as now constituted will not be for the good of the Commonwealth”. Known afterwards as the “Barebones” Parliament.

George Bellot Esq.

John Chetwode Esq.

 

George Bellot, probably a captain in the Parliamentary army, from Cheshire.

John Chetwode an Independent, grandson created baronet in 1670.

 

1654  Called by Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell

An elected Parliament of conservative puritans, frightened by the radicalism of the previous Independent Parliament.

Sir Charles Wolseley

Thomas Crompton Esq.

Thomas Whitgrave Esq.

 

Charles Wolseley, b. 1630, father a Royalist, estates sequestered, married daughter of a “Roundhead”, became a puritan. Put on Privy Council by Cromwell, then sent to House of Lords by him. Pardoned on Restoration.

Thomas Whitgrave, knighted by Cromwell, title not allowed at Restoration.

 

1659  Parliament called by Richard Cromwell

Colonel Thomas Crompton

Sir Thomas Whitgrave

 

1659  The Rump Parliament

Thomas Crompton

John Bowyer

 

1660  The Parliament that voted the Restoration of Charles II

Edward Bagot Esq.

William Sneyd Esq.

 

1661 – 1678 The Pensioner” Parliament – 16 sessions.

Packed with court pensioners, passed the Hearth Tax. The “Whig” opposition first emerged during later years. (Court/Tory v. Whigs)

Sir Thomas Leigh

Randolph Egerton

 

By election 5th March 1663, on death of Leigh

Sir Edward Littleton, b. 1628, Tory but some Whig leanings, not one of the pensioners. d. 1709

 

1679 Parliament called amidst “Popish Plot” crisis.

No one could have been elected who was not a denouncer of Catholics.

Sir Walter Bagot (T)

Sir John Bowyer (W)

 

1680  The “Exclusion” Parliament

Voted to exclude James from succession to throne, bill defeated in House of Lords.

Sir Walter Bagot (T)

Sir John Bowyer (W)

 

1681 Parliament met at Oxford

Sir Walter Bagot (T)

Sir John Bowyer (W)

 

1685 – 7

Parliament called by James II

Sir Walter Bagot (T)

Edward Littleton Esq (T)

Edward Littleton, 1652 – 1705. Died before his father so not a baronet. His son became 3rd baronet in 1709.

 

1689 – 90 The “Convention” Parliament

This was the Parliament that proclaimed William and Mary joint sovereigns. It was the first of a series of Parliaments which have sat continuously ever since. The Parliament was overwhelmingly Whig and Protestant but the ingrained Toryism of Staffordshire resulted in two Tory MPs.

John Grey Esq. (T)

Sir Walter Bagot (T)


 

1690– 5

John Grey Esq. (T)

Walter Chetwynd (T)

By election 1693 on death of Chetwynd.

 Sir Walter Bagot (T) returned unopposed

 

1695 – 8

John Grey (T)

Henry Paget (moderate T)

Henry Paget, Tory but likely to support government, baron Paget 1713, Earl of Uxbridge 1714. MP until 1711.

 

1698 – 1700

Henry Paget (T)

Edward Bagot (T)

Bagot’s sister married Henry Paget. Although Tories, they both voted against the Tory “Tack” of 1704.