Henry Peckham (MP for Chichester)
Encyclopedia
Henry Peckham was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1654 and 1673.
Peckham was the eldest son of William Peckham of Aldingbourne, Sussex and his wife Mary. He was baptised on 20 Aug. 1615. In 1632 he was admitted at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He entered Middle Temple
in 1634 and was called to the bar in 1641. He was JP
for Sussex from 1647 to 1649 and from 1654 was recorder of Chichester from 1654.
In 1654, Peckham was elected Member of Parliament
for Chichester
in the First Protectorate Parliament
. He became JP for Sussex again in 1655 and held the position until his death. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Second Protectorate Parliament
. He was commissioner for assessment for Sussex in 1657 and became recorder of Portsmouth in 1658 until his death. In 1659, he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Third Protectorate Parliament
. He became commissioner for assessment for Sussex from January 1660 until his death. In March 1660 he became commissioner for militia for Sussex and in April 1660 he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Convention Parliament. He was commissioner for oyer and terminer on the Home circuit in July 1660 and commissioner for sewers in West Sussex in October 1660.
In 1661 Peckham was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Cavalier Parliament
. He became recorder of Newport Isle of WIght after 1661 and was knighted on 24 May 1662. He became bencher of his Inn in 1663 and was commissioner for assessment for Chichester from 1663 to 1664. In 1669 he became serjeant-at-law
and was reader of his inn.
Peckham died at the age of 57 and was buried at the church of St Peter the Great, Chichester on 27 April 1673.
Peckham married Judith Goring, daughter of Henry Goring of Highden, Sussex on 8 May 1644. They had six sons and four daughters.
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 1654 and 1673.
Peckham was the eldest son of William Peckham of Aldingbourne, Sussex and his wife Mary. He was baptised on 20 Aug. 1615. In 1632 he was admitted at Magdalen Hall, Oxford. He entered Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1634 and was called to the bar in 1641. He was JP
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...
for Sussex from 1647 to 1649 and from 1654 was recorder of Chichester from 1654.
In 1654, Peckham 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,...
for Chichester
Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in the First Protectorate Parliament
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....
. He became JP for Sussex again in 1655 and held the position until his death. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He was commissioner for assessment for Sussex in 1657 and became recorder of Portsmouth in 1658 until his death. In 1659, he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
. He became commissioner for assessment for Sussex from January 1660 until his death. In March 1660 he became commissioner for militia for Sussex and in April 1660 he was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Convention Parliament. He was commissioner for oyer and terminer on the Home circuit in July 1660 and commissioner for sewers in West Sussex in October 1660.
In 1661 Peckham was re-elected MP for Chichester in the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
. He became recorder of Newport Isle of WIght after 1661 and was knighted on 24 May 1662. He became bencher of his Inn in 1663 and was commissioner for assessment for Chichester from 1663 to 1664. In 1669 he became 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...
and was reader of his inn.
Peckham died at the age of 57 and was buried at the church of St Peter the Great, Chichester on 27 April 1673.
Peckham married Judith Goring, daughter of Henry Goring of Highden, Sussex on 8 May 1644. They had six sons and four daughters.