Henry Priestman (MP)
Encyclopedia
Henry Priestman was a Royal Navy
officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons
from 1695 to 1698.
Priestman joined the Royal Navy in 1672 and his first command was as second lieutenant on HMS Antelope
. In August 1673 he was promoted to the command of HMS Richmond. In a time of relative peace he saw no action and went to the Mediterranean in 1675 in command of HMS Lark
. In January 1678 he was appointed to HMS Swan
, and later in the year returned to HMS Antelope. In 1681, he commanded HMS Reserve
, and in May 1683 was appointed to HMS Bonaventure
. Soon after he was appointed Commodore and Commander-in-Chief of ships in the Straits but was prevented by sickness from taking part in the only opportunty for action that was presented to him during his career. In 1688, he was placed in command of HMS Hampton Court
and after the Glorious Revolution
to which he was sympathetic he became Comptroller of the Storekeeper's accounts in 1689. In 1690 he was nominated a Commissioner for executing the office of Lord High Admiral'
Priestman was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for New Shoreham
in 1695 and held the seat until 1698.
Priestman left office as a commissioner in June 1699, following the departure from office of his friend the Earl of Orford who was highly criticised for financial abuse. He may have been appointed as Governor of Greenwich Hospital in 1710 in place of Sir William Gifford.
Priestman died aged 65, and was buried in Westminster Abbey where there is a monument.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons
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...
from 1695 to 1698.
Priestman joined the Royal Navy in 1672 and his first command was as second lieutenant on HMS Antelope
HMS Antelope (1653)
The Preston was a 40-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England at Woodbridge, and launched in 1653....
. In August 1673 he was promoted to the command of HMS Richmond. In a time of relative peace he saw no action and went to the Mediterranean in 1675 in command of HMS Lark
HMS Lark
Sixteen ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Lark or HMS Larke, after the bird, the lark: was a pinnace in service in 1588. was an 8-gun ship captured by the Parliamentarians from the Royalists in 1656 and sold in 1663. was an 18-gun sixth rate launched in 1675 and sold in 1698...
. In January 1678 he was appointed to HMS Swan
HMS Swan
Twenty ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Swan, or the archaic HMS Swann, probably after the bird, the Swan: was a balinger acquired 1417 and sold 1423. was a vessel sailing with Sir Francis Drake in 1572. was a flyboat sailing with Drake in 1577. She was lost in 1578. was a 'frigat'...
, and later in the year returned to HMS Antelope. In 1681, he commanded HMS Reserve
HMS Reserve (1650)
HMS Reserve was a 40-gun fourth-rate frigate of the English Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett II at Woodbridge, and launched in 1650. By 1677 her armament had been increased to 48 guns....
, and in May 1683 was appointed to HMS Bonaventure
HMS Bonaventure (1650)
President was a 38-gun fourth rate frigate of the Royal Navy, originally built for the navy of the Commonwealth of England by Peter Pett I at Deptford Dockyard, and launched in 1650....
. Soon after he was appointed Commodore and Commander-in-Chief of ships in the Straits but was prevented by sickness from taking part in the only opportunty for action that was presented to him during his career. In 1688, he was placed in command of HMS Hampton Court
HMS Hampton Court (1678)
HMS Hampton Court was a 70-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Deptford Dockyard in 1678.She underwent a rebuild in 1701 at Blackwall Yard, remaining a 70-gun third rate...
and after the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
to which he was sympathetic he became Comptroller of the Storekeeper's accounts in 1689. In 1690 he was nominated a Commissioner for executing the office of Lord High Admiral'
Priestman 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 New Shoreham
New Shoreham (UK Parliament constituency)
New Shoreham, sometimes simply called Shoreham, was a parliamentary borough centred on the town of Shoreham-by-Sea in what is now West Sussex...
in 1695 and held the seat until 1698.
Priestman left office as a commissioner in June 1699, following the departure from office of his friend the Earl of Orford who was highly criticised for financial abuse. He may have been appointed as Governor of Greenwich Hospital in 1710 in place of Sir William Gifford.
Priestman died aged 65, and was buried in Westminster Abbey where there is a monument.