Sir William Gawdy, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Gawdy, 1st Baronet (24 September 1612 -18 August 1669) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
from 1661 to 1669.
of West Harling, Norfolk (who had himself been MP for Thetford) and his wife Lettice Knowles, daughter of Sir Robert Knowles. He was educated at Bury St Edmunds and was admitted at Caius College, Cambridge on 30 April 1629 aged 17. He was awarded BA in 1632 and was admitted at Inner Temple
on 4 February 1634.
In March 1661, Gawdy was elected Member of Parliament
for Thetford
in the Cavalier Parliament
and held the seat until his death aged 56 in 1669. He was created Baronet
of West Harling on 13 July 1663.
Gawdy married Elizabeth Duffield, daughter of John Duffield of East Wretham, Norfolk. Their eldest son Bassingbourne died of smallpox in 1669, and their second son John Gawdy succeeded to the baronetcy. Sir John Gawdy was deaf but became a painter of renown.
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 1661 to 1669.
Life
William Gawdy was the son of Framlingham GawdyFramlingham Gawdy
Framlingham Gawdy was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1648. He was a passive Parliamentarian during the English Civil War....
of West Harling, Norfolk (who had himself been MP for Thetford) and his wife Lettice Knowles, daughter of Sir Robert Knowles. He was educated at Bury St Edmunds and was admitted at Caius College, Cambridge on 30 April 1629 aged 17. He was awarded BA in 1632 and was admitted at Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, 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 4 February 1634.
In March 1661, Gawdy 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 Thetford
Thetford (UK Parliament constituency)
Thetford was a constituency of the British House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1868...
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 aged 56 in 1669. He was created Baronet
Gawdy Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for members of the Gawdy family, both in the Baronetage of England. Both creations are extinct.The Gawdy Baronetcy, of Crow's Hall in the County of Suffolk, was created in the Baronetage of England on 20 April 1661 for Charles Gawdy...
of West Harling on 13 July 1663.
Gawdy married Elizabeth Duffield, daughter of John Duffield of East Wretham, Norfolk. Their eldest son Bassingbourne died of smallpox in 1669, and their second son John Gawdy succeeded to the baronetcy. Sir John Gawdy was deaf but became a painter of renown.