Augustine Skinner
Encyclopedia
Augustine Skinner was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
variously between 1642 and 1659. He took the Parliamentary side during the English Civil War
.
Skinner was of Tutsham Hall at West Farleigh
in Kent
and belonged to a newly-arrived rather than established Kent family (his ancestors being from Devon
. In 1642, he was elected Member of Parliament
member for Kent
the Long Parliament
. He supported parliament in the Civil War and was sufficiently orthodox in his support to survive Pride's Purge
. He refused to accept appointment as a Commissioner in the trial of the King
. After the expulsion of the Rump Parliament
he represented Kent again in the Parliament of 1654
, and in the restored Rump
in 1659. He was an active Justice of the Peace
throughout the Commonwealth period, and it was said that Cromwell
had great confidence in him as a magistrate.
Skinner borrowed money to buy two manors which had been confiscated from the Bishop of Rochester
; when these were restored to their original ownership at the Restoration
, he found himself heavily in debt. His brother William was in similar difficulties, and together they procured a private Act of Parliament in 1660 to allow them to sell other lands to raise funds, Skinner's seat at Tutsham Hall being sold to one Edward Goulston. Skinner was still unable to meet his obligations and, being arrested for debt, he eventually died in the Fleet Prison
in 1672, aged 78. He was buried at West Farleigh
.
Skinner made two good marriages, to Elizabeth Twisden, daughter of Serjeant-at-Law
Richard Braithwaite, and to Ann Franklin, daughter of Thomas Franklin, an Alderman
of the City of London; but his only son, also called Augustine (born 1618), lived less than a year, so that his heir was his brother, William.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
variously between 1642 and 1659. He took the Parliamentary side during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Skinner was of Tutsham Hall at West Farleigh
West Farleigh
West Farleigh is a village and civil parish four miles southwest of Maidstone in the county of Kent. The parish has a population of approximately 450, and is bounded by the civil parishes of East Farleigh, Hunton, Yalding, and over the River Medway by Wateringbury, Teston and Barming. The village...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and belonged to a newly-arrived rather than established Kent family (his ancestors being from Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. In 1642, he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
member for Kent
Kent (UK Parliament constituency)
Kent was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Kent in southeast England. It returned two "knights of the shire" to the House of Commons by the bloc vote system from the year 1290...
the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
. He supported parliament in the Civil War and was sufficiently orthodox in his support to survive Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
. He refused to accept appointment as a Commissioner in the trial of the King
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. After the expulsion of the Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
he represented Kent again in the Parliament of 1654
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
, and in the restored Rump
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
in 1659. He was an active Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
throughout the Commonwealth period, and it was said that Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
had great confidence in him as a magistrate.
Skinner borrowed money to buy two manors which had been confiscated from the Bishop of Rochester
Bishop of Rochester
The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
; when these were restored to their original ownership at the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, he found himself heavily in debt. His brother William was in similar difficulties, and together they procured a private Act of Parliament in 1660 to allow them to sell other lands to raise funds, Skinner's seat at Tutsham Hall being sold to one Edward Goulston. Skinner was still unable to meet his obligations and, being arrested for debt, he eventually died in the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
in 1672, aged 78. He was buried at West Farleigh
West Farleigh
West Farleigh is a village and civil parish four miles southwest of Maidstone in the county of Kent. The parish has a population of approximately 450, and is bounded by the civil parishes of East Farleigh, Hunton, Yalding, and over the River Medway by Wateringbury, Teston and Barming. The village...
.
Skinner made two good marriages, to Elizabeth Twisden, daughter of Serjeant-at-Law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
Richard Braithwaite, and to Ann Franklin, daughter of Thomas Franklin, an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of the City of London; but his only son, also called Augustine (born 1618), lived less than a year, so that his heir was his brother, William.