Francis Barnham
Encyclopedia
Sir Francis Barnham was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1604 and 1646. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
.
, Kent and his second wife Judith Calthorpe, daughter of Sir Martin Calthorpe of London, and was a nephew of Benedict Barnham
. He was baptised at Hollingbourne on 20 October 1576. His father was sheriff of London in 1598. Barnham matriculated from Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1592, and was admitted at Gray's Inn
on 8 November 1594. He was knighted in 1603 at Whitehall Palace on James I's acccession shortly after his father. In 1604, he was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Grampound
. In 1613 he inherited from Belknap Rudston, the brother of his father's first wife, the estate of Boughton Monchelsea
. He was elected MP for Grampound in 1614. With his father-in-law, Sampson Lennard
, an antiquary of some eminence, he was nominated a member of the Academy of Literature
projected with the approval of the court in 1617, but subsequently abandoned. In 1621 Barnham was elected MP for Maidstone. He was elected MP for Maidstone again in 1626 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliamment for eleven years.
In April 1640, Barnham was elected MP for Maidstone in the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected MP for Maidstone in the Long Parliament
in November 1640. He supported the parliamentarians during the First English Civil War
. He died in 1646 as a new writ for Maidstone was issued, to fill a vacancy stated to be caused by Sir Francis's death, but in Sir Roger Twysden
's diary he is mentioned in 1649 as urging the release of his eldest son Robert, imprisoned by the Kentish committee.
Twysden described him as "a right honest gentleman." Sir Henry Wotton spoke of him as one of his "chiefest friends" and a man "of singular conversation".
in 1652, and died in 1676. His eldest son Robert
received a baronetcy in 1663.
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...
at various times between 1604 and 1646. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Life
Barham was the eldest son of Martin Barnham, of London and HollingbourneHollingbourne
Hollingbourne is a village and civil parish in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The parish is located on the southward slope of the North Downs to the east of the county town, Maidstone. The parish population is almost 1000 persons and includes Hollingbourne village as well as Broad...
, Kent and his second wife Judith Calthorpe, daughter of Sir Martin Calthorpe of London, and was a nephew of Benedict Barnham
Benedict Barnham
Benedict Barnham was a London merchant, the fourth son of the merchant Francis Barnham.-Life:Barnham was alderman of the City of London, and served as Sheriff of the City of London from 1591 to 1592. He was married to Dorothy Smith...
. He was baptised at Hollingbourne on 20 October 1576. His father was sheriff of London in 1598. Barnham matriculated from Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1592, and was admitted at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on 8 November 1594. He was knighted in 1603 at Whitehall Palace on James I's acccession shortly after his father. In 1604, 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,...
(MP) for Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
. In 1613 he inherited from Belknap Rudston, the brother of his father's first wife, the estate of Boughton Monchelsea
Boughton Monchelsea
For other Boughtons in Kent see Boughton Aluph; Boughton under Blean and Boughton MalherbeThe village and civil parish of Boughton Monchelsea is in the Maidstone District of Kent, England. The civil parish lies on a ragstone ridge situated between the North Downs and the Weald of Kent and has...
. He was elected MP for Grampound in 1614. With his father-in-law, Sampson Lennard
Sampson Lennard
Sampson Lennard , of Chevening in Kent, was an English Member of Parliament who represented an unusually large number of different constituencies during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I....
, an antiquary of some eminence, he was nominated a member of the Academy of Literature
Proposals for an English Academy
During the early part of the 17th century, and persisting in some form into the early 18th century, there were a number of proposals for an English Academy: some form of learned institution, conceived as having royal backing and a leading role in the intellectual life of the nation...
projected with the approval of the court in 1617, but subsequently abandoned. In 1621 Barnham was elected MP for Maidstone. He was elected MP for Maidstone again in 1626 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliamment for eleven years.
In April 1640, Barnham was elected MP for Maidstone in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He was re-elected MP for Maidstone in 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...
in November 1640. He supported the parliamentarians during the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
. He died in 1646 as a new writ for Maidstone was issued, to fill a vacancy stated to be caused by Sir Francis's death, but in Sir Roger Twysden
Sir Roger Twysden, 2nd Baronet
Sir Roger Twysden, 2nd Baronet , of Roydon Hall in Kent, was an English historian and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1625 and 1640.-Life:...
's diary he is mentioned in 1649 as urging the release of his eldest son Robert, imprisoned by the Kentish committee.
Twysden described him as "a right honest gentleman." Sir Henry Wotton spoke of him as one of his "chiefest friends" and a man "of singular conversation".
Family
Barnham married Elizabeth Lennard, daughter of Sampson Lennard, of Chevening, Kent, and was the father of fifteen children, of whom the fifth son, William, was mayor of NorwichNorwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
in 1652, and died in 1676. His eldest son Robert
Sir Robert Barnham, 1st Baronet
Sir Robert Barnham, 1st Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1679.Barnham was the son of Sir Francis Barnham and his wife Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of Sampson Leonard of Chevening...
received a baronetcy in 1663.