Sir William Strickland, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir William Strickland, 1st Baronet (c. 1596 – 12 July 1673) was an English Member of Parliament
who supported the parliamentary cause during the English Civil War
.
Sir William Strickland was the eldest son of Walter Strickland of Boynton
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
, inheriting his estate on his death in 1636. He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge, and proceeded to Gray’s Inn though he seems not to have qualified as a barrister. He was knighted in 1630, and in 1640 was elected to Parliament as member for Hedon
. Initially he seems to have been a friend and supporter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
, to whom he was distantly related (Strickland’s mother was a Wentworth), although he is not one of the MPs who was listed as voting against Strafford’s attainder. Strickland was a strict Puritan, and after Strafford’s death he moved firmly towards the Parliamentary cause, although the king
created him a baronet
on 29 July 1641, perhaps hoping to sway him towards support for the Crown.
Strickland sat for Hedon throughout the Long Parliament
, taking a hard line in support of the Commonwealth and later of Cromwell
. (An opposition pamphleteer described him as “for settling the Protector anew in all those things for which the king was cut off”. He also spoke frequently in favour of the punishment of James Naylor. After the expulsion of the Rump
, he did not appear in the Barebone's Parliament, but was elected for the Protectorate Parliaments of as one of the four members for the East Riding in 1654
and 1656
. He was subsequently summoned to Cromwell’s House of Peers as Lord Strickland. (His younger brother, Walter Strickland
, was also a member, and held a number of other senior offices during the Commonwealth.)
Strickland sat in the restored Long Parliament in 1659, but apparently took no part in its proceedings and (unlike his brother) seems to have retired entirely from public affairs after the Restoration, though he was not molested by the authorities.
From 1642 to 1646, Strickland was Custos Rotulorum of the East Riding of Yorkshire
.
He was married twice – on 18 June 1622 to Margaret, daughter of Sir Richard Cholmley of Whitby; and, after his first wife’s death in 1629 to Frances Finch, daughter of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea
. He had four daughters by his first marriage, and one son, Thomas
, by his second, who succeeded him in the baronetcy.
|-
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,...
who supported the parliamentary 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...
.
Sir William Strickland was the eldest son of Walter Strickland of Boynton
Boynton, East Riding of Yorkshire
Boynton is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately west of the town of Bridlington and lies on the B1253 road.According to the 2001 UK census, Boynton parish had a population of 161....
, in the East Riding of Yorkshire
East Riding of Yorkshire
The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
, inheriting his estate on his death in 1636. He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge, and proceeded to Gray’s Inn though he seems not to have qualified as a barrister. He was knighted in 1630, and in 1640 was elected to Parliament as member for Hedon
Hedon (UK Parliament constituency)
Hedon, sometimes spelt Heydon, was a parliamentary borough in the East Riding of Yorkshire, represented by two Members of Parliament in the House of Commons briefly in the 13th century and again from 1547 to 1832.-History:...
. Initially he seems to have been a friend and supporter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
, to whom he was distantly related (Strickland’s mother was a Wentworth), although he is not one of the MPs who was listed as voting against Strafford’s attainder. Strickland was a strict Puritan, and after Strafford’s death he moved firmly towards the Parliamentary cause, although the king
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...
created him a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
on 29 July 1641, perhaps hoping to sway him towards support for the Crown.
Strickland sat for Hedon throughout 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...
, taking a hard line in support of the Commonwealth and later of 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....
. (An opposition pamphleteer described him as “for settling the Protector anew in all those things for which the king was cut off”. He also spoke frequently in favour of the punishment of James Naylor. After the expulsion of the Rump
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
, he did not appear in the Barebone's Parliament, but was elected for the Protectorate Parliaments of as one of the four members for the East Riding in 1654
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....
and 1656
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He was subsequently summoned to Cromwell’s House of Peers as Lord Strickland. (His younger brother, Walter Strickland
Walter Strickland
Walter Strickland was an English politician and diplomat who held high office during the Protectorate.-Life:Strickland was the younger son of Walter Strickland of Boynton. His elder brother, William, was knighted in 1630 and created a baronet in 1641, and was a Member of Parliament from 1640 to 1660...
, was also a member, and held a number of other senior offices during the Commonwealth.)
Strickland sat in the restored Long Parliament in 1659, but apparently took no part in its proceedings and (unlike his brother) seems to have retired entirely from public affairs after the Restoration, though he was not molested by the authorities.
From 1642 to 1646, Strickland was Custos Rotulorum of the East Riding of Yorkshire
Custos Rotulorum of the East Riding of Yorkshire
This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of the East Riding of Yorkshire.* Sir William Babthorpe bef. 1544–1555* Christopher Estoft bef. 1558–1566* John Vaughan bef. 1573–1577* Ralph Rokeby 1577 – aft. 1584...
.
He was married twice – on 18 June 1622 to Margaret, daughter of Sir Richard Cholmley of Whitby; and, after his first wife’s death in 1629 to Frances Finch, daughter of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea
Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea
Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea was an English peer and Member of Parliament.Finch was the son of Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Heneage, 1st Countess of Winchilsea...
. He had four daughters by his first marriage, and one son, Thomas
Sir Thomas Strickland, 2nd Baronet
Sir Thomas Strickland, 2nd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1659.Strickland was son of Sir William Strickland, 1st Baronet of Boynton, East Riding of Yorkshire, and his second wife Frances Finch, daughter of Thomas Finch, 2nd Earl of Winchilsea...
, by his second, who succeeded him in the baronetcy.
Sources
- Dictionary of National Biography
- J Foster, Pedigrees of the County Families of Yorkshire (1874)
- Victoria County History of the East Riding of Yorkshire
- Who’s Who In Yorkshire (1912)
|-