Patricius Curwen
Encyclopedia
Sir Patricius Curwen, 1st Baronet (c. 1602 – 15 December 1664) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England
from 1640 to 1643 and from 1661 to 1664. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War
Curwen was the son of Sir Henry Curwen
of Workington in Cumberland. The Curwen family owned iron ore mines at Harrington and the account books of Curwen's steward contain many referenced to iron ore. Curwen was apparently a generous landlord who between 1628 and 1643 paid his harvesters with food and wages and provided a piper to play in the fields for the time of the harvest. In 1627 he was created a Baronet, of Workington in the County of Cumberland.
In 1636 Curwen was appointed High Sheriff of Cumberland
and in April 1640 was elected Member of Parliament
for Cumberland
for the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected in November 1640 for the Long Parliament
and was one of the 56 MPs who voted to spare the life of the Earl of Strafford
. He was disabled from sitting in March 1643 as a royalist.
After the Restoration in 1661 Curwen was elected MP for Cumberland again in the Cavalier Parliament
, and held the seat until his death in 1664.
Curwen died in December 1664 at the age of 62. The baronetcy died with him. In his will he bequeathed money to build and maintain a school at Harrington which was known as the Patricius Curwen School.
Curwen married Lady Isabella Selby, daughter of Sir George Selby of Whitehouse in Durham. Their only son Henry died in 1636.
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 1640 to 1643 and from 1661 to 1664. He supported the Royalist side 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...
Curwen was the son of Sir Henry Curwen
Henry Curwen
Sir Henry Curwen was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622.Curwen was the only son of Sir Nicholas Curwen of Workington, Cumberland and his first wife Ann Musgrave. He matriculated from Pembroke College, Cambridge in about 1595. He was High Sheriff of Cumberland...
of Workington in Cumberland. The Curwen family owned iron ore mines at Harrington and the account books of Curwen's steward contain many referenced to iron ore. Curwen was apparently a generous landlord who between 1628 and 1643 paid his harvesters with food and wages and provided a piper to play in the fields for the time of the harvest. In 1627 he was created a Baronet, of Workington in the County of Cumberland.
In 1636 Curwen was appointed High Sheriff of Cumberland
High Sheriff of Cumberland
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
and in April 1640 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 Cumberland
Cumberland (UK Parliament constituency)
Cumberland is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a 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 1832. It was represented by two Knights of...
for 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 in November 1640 for 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...
and was one of the 56 MPs who voted to spare the life of the Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
. He was disabled from sitting in March 1643 as a royalist.
After the Restoration in 1661 Curwen was elected MP for Cumberland again 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...
, and held the seat until his death in 1664.
Curwen died in December 1664 at the age of 62. The baronetcy died with him. In his will he bequeathed money to build and maintain a school at Harrington which was known as the Patricius Curwen School.
Curwen married Lady Isabella Selby, daughter of Sir George Selby of Whitehouse in Durham. Their only son Henry died in 1636.