Sir Basil Firebrace, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Basil Firebrace, 1st Baronet (1652 - 7 May 1724) was a supplier of wines to the royal household
, Sheriff of London, and MP
for Chippenham
, Wiltshire
, from 1690 to 1692. He was prosecuted for fraud
and bribery
, acquitted, and created a baronet in 1698.
, a courtier to both Charles I
and Charles II
, and Elizabeth Dowell; he was born in 1652.
and supplier of wines to the royal household
. He was Sheriff of London in 1687, and knighted; he was also appointed Colonel
of the Orange Regiment of the London militia
. He was admitted into the Worshipful Company of Vintners
the following year and became an Alderman
for Billingsgate
.
He was elected MP for Chippenham
as a Tory on 9 December 1690, but the election was declared void almost a year later, on 1 December 1691, and was re-run on 14 December. He again won but an election petition
unseated him in favour of Thomas Tollemache
on 22 January 1692. In 1694 he purchased West Lodge, Enfield Chase
, where he resided until 1716.
Firebrace also became a prominent figure in the East India Company
and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
by Parliament for bribery
and fraud
in relation to its activities. In April 1695 the House of Lords ordered that he be kept in "close confinement", having no contact with other prisoners. He was perhaps more of a go-between than a principal, and although criticised for his entrepreneur
ialism, he was eventually acquitted of all charges.
He was appointed 1st Baronet Firebrace in 1698, was bankrupted in 1701 and again imprisoned, for stabbing a creditor.
They produced five children, two of whom, Basil and Thomas, died in infancy. Of the survivors, Hester (c. 1675- c.1725) married Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh
, Charles (1680 - 1727) later inherited the baronetcy and their final child, George, was born in 1681.
Firebrace died on 7 May 1724; W. H. Auden
was among his descendants.
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
, Sheriff of London, and MP
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 Chippenham
Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chippenham is a parliamentary constituency, abolished in 1983 but recreated in 2010, and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, from 1690 to 1692. He was prosecuted for fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
and bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, acquitted, and created a baronet in 1698.
Early life
Firebrace was the second son of Sir Henry FirebraceSir Henry Firebrace
Sir Henry Firebrace was a courtier to Charles I, serving during his conflicts with Parliament throughout the era of the English Civil Wars...
, a courtier to both Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, and Elizabeth Dowell; he was born in 1652.
Career
Firebrace became a vintnerVintner
A vintner is a wine merchant. You pronounce it like this In some modern use, in particular in American English, the term is alsoused as a synonym for winemaker....
and supplier of wines to the royal household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
. He was Sheriff of London in 1687, and knighted; he was also appointed Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
of the Orange Regiment of the London militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. He was admitted into the Worshipful Company of Vintners
Worshipful Company of Vintners
The Worshipful Company of Vintners is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, England.- History and origins :It probably existed as early as the twelfth century, and it received a Royal Charter in 1364. Due to the Royal Charter, the Company gained a monopoly over wine imports from Gascony...
the following year and became an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
for Billingsgate
Billingsgate
Billingsgate is a small ward in the south-east of the City of London, lying on the north bank of the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge...
.
He was elected MP for Chippenham
Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chippenham is a parliamentary constituency, abolished in 1983 but recreated in 2010, and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
as a Tory on 9 December 1690, but the election was declared void almost a year later, on 1 December 1691, and was re-run on 14 December. He again won but an election petition
Election petition
An election petition refers to the procedure for challenging the result of a Parliamentary election or local government election in the United Kingdom and in Hong Kong.- Outcomes :...
unseated him in favour of Thomas Tollemache
Thomas Tollemache
Thomas Tollemache was an English soldier; the second son of Sir Lionel Tollemache of Helmingham, Suffolk and his wife, Elizabeth, 2nd Countess of Dysart....
on 22 January 1692. In 1694 he purchased West Lodge, Enfield Chase
Enfield Chase
Enfield Chase is an area in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. It was once covered by woodland and used as a royal deer park. While it is no longer officially a 'place', the Church of England Parish of St Mary Magdalene, Enfield Chase, officially holds that title, which was effectively...
, where he resided until 1716.
Firebrace also became a prominent figure in the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
by Parliament for bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
and fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
in relation to its activities. In April 1695 the House of Lords ordered that he be kept in "close confinement", having no contact with other prisoners. He was perhaps more of a go-between than a principal, and although criticised for his entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
ialism, he was eventually acquitted of all charges.
He was appointed 1st Baronet Firebrace in 1698, was bankrupted in 1701 and again imprisoned, for stabbing a creditor.
Legacy
He married Elizabeth Hough on 7 September 1671, at St Margaret's, Westminster.They produced five children, two of whom, Basil and Thomas, died in infancy. Of the survivors, Hester (c. 1675- c.1725) married Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh
Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh
Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh, 3rd Earl of Desmond was a British peer and member of the House of Lords, styled Viscount Feilding from 1675 to 1685....
, Charles (1680 - 1727) later inherited the baronetcy and their final child, George, was born in 1681.
Firebrace died on 7 May 1724; W. H. Auden
W. H. Auden
Wystan Hugh Auden , who published as W. H. Auden, was an Anglo-American poet,The first definition of "Anglo-American" in the OED is: "Of, belonging to, or involving both England and America." See also the definition "English in origin or birth, American by settlement or citizenship" in See also...
was among his descendants.
Sources
- Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.