George Lilburne
Encyclopedia
George Lilburne was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1654. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War
.
Lilburne was the son of John Lilburne of Thickley Punchardon, and his wife Isabel Wortley, and was baptised at Auckland St Andrew on 16 January 1586. He settled at Sunderland
and was probably a merchant adventurer and involved in the coal trade. Like others of his family he became heavily involved in politics. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he was Mayor of Sunderland and was the only opponent of the other magistrates of Durham and Northumberland who met and formed themselves into Commissioners of Array for the King to raise transport and supplies. As a result, Lilburne was imprisoned and kept at Durham and then York. Sunderland remained Royalist until captured for Parliament by the Scottish army in 1644. Parliament then wanted to restore the coal trade and bargained with the Royalists for the release of George Lilburne in exchange for a prominent Royalist prisoner. He found the mines in very poor condition. He was then the only magistrate in Sunderland and sat on all the committees of sequestration. He managed to get hold of the Harraton colliery belonging to the lessees of Sir John Hedworth. However it was not back into production until 1647.
In 1654, Lilburne was elected Member of Parliament
for County Durham
in the First Protectorate Parliament
. This was the first time that the County of Durham was represented in parliament.
Lilburne was one of the governors of Kepyer School. After the restoration he built a north wing of the hospital and endowed it.
Lilburne died in 1666 (although some sources give his death as occurring in 1677).
Lilburne married firstly Jane Chambers and had a son Thomas
who was a parliamentary soldier and MP. He married secondly Eleanor Hicks and had further children. Through his son WIlliam, he was the ancestor of US President Thomas Jefferson
. Lilburne was the uncle of Robert Lilburne
, the parliamentary soldier, and John Lilburne
, known as Free-Born for outspoken support of democratic freedoms.
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 1654. He supported the Parliamentary cause 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...
.
Lilburne was the son of John Lilburne of Thickley Punchardon, and his wife Isabel Wortley, and was baptised at Auckland St Andrew on 16 January 1586. He settled at Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and was probably a merchant adventurer and involved in the coal trade. Like others of his family he became heavily involved in politics. On the outbreak of the Civil War, he was Mayor of Sunderland and was the only opponent of the other magistrates of Durham and Northumberland who met and formed themselves into Commissioners of Array for the King to raise transport and supplies. As a result, Lilburne was imprisoned and kept at Durham and then York. Sunderland remained Royalist until captured for Parliament by the Scottish army in 1644. Parliament then wanted to restore the coal trade and bargained with the Royalists for the release of George Lilburne in exchange for a prominent Royalist prisoner. He found the mines in very poor condition. He was then the only magistrate in Sunderland and sat on all the committees of sequestration. He managed to get hold of the Harraton colliery belonging to the lessees of Sir John Hedworth. However it was not back into production until 1647.
In 1654, Lilburne 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 County Durham
County Durham (UK Parliament constituency)
Durham or County Durham was a county constituency in northern England, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1675 until 1832.- History :...
in the First Protectorate Parliament
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
. This was the first time that the County of Durham was represented in parliament.
Lilburne was one of the governors of Kepyer School. After the restoration he built a north wing of the hospital and endowed it.
Lilburne died in 1666 (although some sources give his death as occurring in 1677).
Lilburne married firstly Jane Chambers and had a son Thomas
Thomas Lilburne
Thomas Lilburne was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1656 and 1659. He fought in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War....
who was a parliamentary soldier and MP. He married secondly Eleanor Hicks and had further children. Through his son WIlliam, he was the ancestor of US President Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. Lilburne was the uncle of Robert Lilburne
Robert Lilburne
thumb|right|Robert LilburneColonel Robert Lilburne was the older brother of John Lilburne, the well known Leveller, but unlike his brother who severed his relationship with Oliver Cromwell, Robert Lilburne remained in the army...
, the parliamentary soldier, and John Lilburne
John Lilburne
John Lilburne , also known as Freeborn John, was an English political Leveller before, during and after English Civil Wars 1642-1650. He coined the term "freeborn rights", defining them as rights with which every human being is born, as opposed to rights bestowed by government or human law...
, known as Free-Born for outspoken support of democratic freedoms.