Unton Croke
Encyclopedia
Unton Croke was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1628 and 1640. He supported the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War
.
Croke was the son of Sir John Croke
of Chilton, Buckinghamshire
and Studley, Oxfordshire, judge, recorder of London and Speaker of the House of Commons, and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Sir Michael Blount
of Mapledurham House
in Oxfordshire
. He was 1st cousin to Sir James Whitelocke
. He matriculated at Oxford University on 2 March 1609/10, and in 1616 he was called to the bar at Inner Temple
.
In 1625, Croke was elected Member of Parliament
for Wallingford
for a year. Croke became a bencher of his Inn on 14 June 1635. He was re-elected for Wallingford in April 1640 for the Short Parliament
.
Croke supported the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War
although he was not a member of the Long Parliament
. His house at Marston, Oxfordshire was used by Sir Thomas Fairfax
as his headquarters when besieging Oxford
in 1645 and 1646. It was also used for the negotiations for the royalist surrender, which was signed there. In 1649, Croke was created B.C.L. at Oxford. He went with Bulstrode Whitelocke
to Sweden in 1654 and was created serjeant-at-law by Oliver Cromwell
on 21 December 1654. John Owen, dean of Christ Church, recommended Croke for a judgeship in 1655 and he was made commissioner for trials of persons charged with treason in 1656. He was justice of the peace for Marston, Oxfordshire and for a time was deputy of the Earl of Pembroke in the stewardship of the Oxford University. He retired from public life after the Restoration.
Croke died at the age of 76 and was buried at the Church of St Nicholas, Marston.
Croke married Anne Hore, daughter and heiress of Richard Hore of Marston
in Oxfordshire
on 8 November 1617. They lived at Marston and had ten children including Sir Richard Croke
who was later a member of parliament for Oxford.
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...
in 1628 and 1640. He supported the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Croke was the son of Sir John Croke
John Croke
Sir John Croke was Speaker of the English House of Commons between October–December 1601. He was a lawyer and judge by profession, and was Recorder of London...
of Chilton, Buckinghamshire
Chilton, Buckinghamshire
Chilton is a village and civil parish in Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the west of the county, about north of Thame in Oxfordshire. Chilton parish includes the hamlet of Easington .-Manor:The toponym "Chilton" is derived from the Old English for "young man's farm"...
and Studley, Oxfordshire, judge, recorder of London and Speaker of the House of Commons, and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Sir Michael Blount
Michael Blount
-Life:He was born in Mapledurham House, Oxfordshire to Sir Richard Blount He was High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1576, then of Oxfordshire in 1586 and 1597. He was elected the Member of Parliament for Winchelsea in March 1553 and Marlborough in 1563...
of Mapledurham House
Mapledurham House
Mapledurham House is an Elizabethan stately home located in the civil parish of Mapledurham in the English county of Oxfordshire.-History and architecture:...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He was 1st cousin to Sir James Whitelocke
James Whitelocke
Sir James Whitelocke SL was an English judge.-Early life:He was the younger of posthumous twin sons of Richard Whitelocke, merchant, of London, by Joan Brockhurst, widow, daughter of John Colte of Little Munden, Hertfordshire. His twin-brother, William, served under Francis Drake, and fell at sea...
. He matriculated at Oxford University on 2 March 1609/10, and in 1616 he was called to the bar 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...
.
In 1625, Croke 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 Wallingford
Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
for a year. Croke became a bencher of his Inn on 14 June 1635. He was re-elected for Wallingford in April 1640 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....
.
Croke supported the Parliamentary 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...
although he was not a member of 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...
. His house at Marston, Oxfordshire was used by Sir Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
as his headquarters when besieging Oxford
Siege of Oxford
The Siege of Oxford was a Parliamentarian victory late in the First English Civil War. Whereas the title of the event may suggest a single siege, there were in fact three individual engagements that took place over a period of three years....
in 1645 and 1646. It was also used for the negotiations for the royalist surrender, which was signed there. In 1649, Croke was created B.C.L. at Oxford. He went with Bulstrode Whitelocke
Bulstrode Whitelocke
Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke was an English lawyer, writer, parliamentarian and Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England.- Biography :...
to Sweden in 1654 and was created serjeant-at-law by Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
on 21 December 1654. John Owen, dean of Christ Church, recommended Croke for a judgeship in 1655 and he was made commissioner for trials of persons charged with treason in 1656. He was justice of the peace for Marston, Oxfordshire and for a time was deputy of the Earl of Pembroke in the stewardship of the Oxford University. He retired from public life after the Restoration.
Croke died at the age of 76 and was buried at the Church of St Nicholas, Marston.
Croke married Anne Hore, daughter and heiress of Richard Hore of Marston
Marston, Oxford
Marston is a village and civil parish about northeast of the centre of Oxford, England. It was absorbed within the city boundaries in 1991. It is commonly called Old Marston to distinguish it from the suburb of New Marston that developed between St. Clement's and the village in the 19th and 20th...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
on 8 November 1617. They lived at Marston and had ten children including Sir Richard Croke
Richard Croke (MP)
Richard Croke was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654.Croke was the son of Unton Croke of Marston, Oxfordshire and his wife Anne Hore, daughter of Richard Hore of Marston. He was educated at Winchester College in 1636, aged 11 and entered Inner Temple in...
who was later a member of parliament for Oxford.