Gervase Bennet
Encyclopedia
Gervase Bennet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England
between 1653 and 1659. Bennet coined the term "Quakers" to refer to the Religious Society of Friends
.
Bennet was Mayor of Derby
in 1645 when there was a plague in Derby. He was also a magistrate and in 1650 with Nathaniel Barton conducted the trial of George Fox
, founder of the Religious Society of Friends
. It was when Fox told the bench "Tremble at the word of the Lord" that Bennet devised the term "Quakers" to refer to members of the Society, a nickname which entered common parlance.
In 1653 Bennet was nominated for the Barebones Parliament
as representative for Derbyshire
. In 1654, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Derby
in the First Protectorate Parliament
and was returned in the Second Protectorate Parliament
in 1656 and the Third Protectorate Parliament
of 1659.
Bennet owned estates of Littleover
and Snelston
. He married a coheiress of the Rowe family, and had a son, Robert. He was aged 50 in 1662 and the estate was sold in 1682.
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...
between 1653 and 1659. Bennet coined the term "Quakers" to refer to the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
.
Bennet was Mayor of Derby
Mayor of Derby
Names of the Mayors for the Borough of Derby from the first that was chosen on the 3 July 1638 by the king's charter then granted to the town the two last bailiffs were the two first mayors Mr Mellor being proclaimed the 3rd day of July to be the mayor until Michaelmas and twelve months after but...
in 1645 when there was a plague in Derby. He was also a magistrate and in 1650 with Nathaniel Barton conducted the trial of George Fox
George Fox
George Fox was an English Dissenter and a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends.The son of a Leicestershire weaver, Fox lived in a time of great social upheaval and war...
, founder of the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
. It was when Fox told the bench "Tremble at the word of the Lord" that Bennet devised the term "Quakers" to refer to members of the Society, a nickname which entered common parlance.
In 1653 Bennet was nominated for the Barebones Parliament
Barebones Parliament
Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector...
as representative for Derbyshire
Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Derbyshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. In 1654, he 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 Derby
Derby (UK Parliament constituency)
Derby is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950. It was represented by two Members of...
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....
and was returned in the Second Protectorate Parliament
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...
in 1656 and the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
of 1659.
Bennet owned estates of Littleover
Littleover
Littleover is a large suburb of Derby, England situated between Rose Hill, Normanton, Sunny Hill, South Derbyshire and Mickleover about three miles south west of Derby city centre.-History:The history of the name of Littleover is simple...
and Snelston
Snelston
Snelston is a village and civil parish three miles south-west of Ashbourne in Derbyshire. It includes Anacrehill. A tributary of the River Dove flows through its centre....
. He married a coheiress of the Rowe family, and had a son, Robert. He was aged 50 in 1662 and the estate was sold in 1682.