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.
