Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet (9 January 1585 – 14 September 1645) was an English
politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1621 and 1629. He is an ancestor of the modern day Dukes of Westminster
.
Grosvenor was born at Eaton Hall, Cheshire
, the only surviving son of 17 children. His father was Richard Grosvenor of Eaton, and his mother was Christian, the daughter of Sir Richard Brooke of Norton Priory
, Cheshire. His early education was by John Bruen, a local puritan
and at the age of 13 he went to Queen's College, Oxford. He matriculated in 1599 and graduated BA
on 30 June 1602.
In 1602 Grosvenor was High Sheriff of Cheshire
. He was knight
ed by James I
in Vale Royal
on 24 August 1617. In 1621 he was elected Member of Parliament
for Cheshire
. He was created baronet on 23 February 1622. In 1623 he was High Sheriff of Cheshire
again. He was re-elected MP for Cheshire in 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. His diary-taking has been described as meticulous and it is thought his diary taking represents some of the most complete accounts of Parliamentary debate from the period.
Grosvenor stood surety
for the debts of his brother-in-law, Peter Daniell, but in 1629 Daniell defaulted on his debts, and for almost ten years Grosvenor was incarcerated in the Fleet Prison
.
Grosvenor died in Eaton Hall in 1645 and was buried in Eccleston church
.
Grosvenor married three times. His first marriage was in 1600 to Lettice Cholmondley, daughter of Sir Hugh Cholmondeley
of Cholmondeley
, Cheshire. With her he had a son and three daughters. Lettice died in 1612 and two years later he married Elizabeth Wilbraham, the daughter of Sir Thomas Wilbraham of Woodhey, Cheshire. Following her death in 1621 he married Elizabeth Warburton, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Peter Warburton of Grafton
, also in Cheshire.and . His third wife died in 1627. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
at various times between 1621 and 1629. He is an ancestor of the modern day Dukes of Westminster
Duke of Westminster
The title Duke of Westminster was created by Queen Victoria in 1874 and bestowed upon Hugh Grosvenor, 3rd Marquess of Westminster. The current holder of the title is Gerald Grosvenor, 6th Duke of Westminster....
.
Grosvenor was born at Eaton Hall, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the only surviving son of 17 children. His father was Richard Grosvenor of Eaton, and his mother was Christian, the daughter of Sir Richard Brooke of Norton Priory
Norton Priory
Norton Priory is a historic site in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England, comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, and an 18th-century country house; it is now a museum. The remains are a scheduled ancient monument and have been designated by English...
, Cheshire. His early education was by John Bruen, a local puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
and at the age of 13 he went to Queen's College, Oxford. He matriculated in 1599 and graduated BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
on 30 June 1602.
In 1602 Grosvenor was High Sheriff of Cheshire
High Sheriff of Cheshire
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...
. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in Vale Royal
Vale Royal Abbey
Vale Royal Abbey is a medieval abbey, and later country house, located in Whitegate, between Northwich and Winsford in Cheshire, England.The abbey was founded in 1270 by Edward I for monks of the austere Cistercian order...
on 24 August 1617. In 1621 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,...
for Cheshire
Cheshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Cheshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentiary constituency for the county of Cheshire. 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.As a county...
. He was created baronet on 23 February 1622. In 1623 he was High Sheriff of Cheshire
High Sheriff of Cheshire
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...
again. He was re-elected MP for Cheshire in 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. His diary-taking has been described as meticulous and it is thought his diary taking represents some of the most complete accounts of Parliamentary debate from the period.
Grosvenor stood surety
Surety
A surety or guarantee, in finance, is a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults...
for the debts of his brother-in-law, Peter Daniell, but in 1629 Daniell defaulted on his debts, and for almost ten years Grosvenor was incarcerated 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 :...
.
Grosvenor died in Eaton Hall in 1645 and was buried in Eccleston church
St Mary's Church, Eccleston
St Mary's Church, Eccleston, is in the village of Eccleston, Cheshire, England, on the estate of the Duke of Westminster south of Chester. The church is designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Chester, the...
.
Grosvenor married three times. His first marriage was in 1600 to Lettice Cholmondley, daughter of Sir Hugh Cholmondeley
Hugh Cholmondeley (soldier)
Sir Hugh Cholmondeley was an English soldier.Cholmondeley was the second son of Richard Cholmondeley and Elizabeth Brereton...
of Cholmondeley
Cholmondeley, Cheshire
Cholmondeley is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England, which lies to the north east of Malpas and to the west of Nantwich. It includes the small settlements of Croxton Green and Dowse Green , with a total population of a little...
, Cheshire. With her he had a son and three daughters. Lettice died in 1612 and two years later he married Elizabeth Wilbraham, the daughter of Sir Thomas Wilbraham of Woodhey, Cheshire. Following her death in 1621 he married Elizabeth Warburton, daughter and sole heiress of Sir Peter Warburton of Grafton
Grafton, Cheshire
Grafton is a civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It has a population of 3.-External links:...
, also in Cheshire.and . His third wife died in 1627. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet
Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet
Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet was an ancestor of the modern day Dukes of Westminster. He was the son of Sir Richard Grosvenor, 1st Baronet and spent his childhood at Eaton Hall, Cheshire...
.