Henry Crofts
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Crofts was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1624 and 1660.
Crofts was the eldest son of Sir John Crofts of Little Saxham and West Stow and his wife Mary Shirley, daughter of Sir Thomas Shirley of Wiston, Sussex. He was knighted on 3 February 1611. In 1624, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Eye
. In 1626 he was elected MP for Derby
He succeeded his father to his estates in about 1628.
Crofts was a strong Anglican and was not active during the English Civil War
although he was named as commissioner of array for Suffolk in 1642. In 1646 the sequestrators required him to surrender a portion of the estate due to his daughter, who had married without her father's consent to Sir Frederick Cornwallis
, a Royalist
. This was returned when the sequestration was lifted in 1648.
In April 1660, Crofts was elected MP for Bury St Edmunds
in the Convention Parliament in a double return, but was seated on the merits of the election. He became J.P.
in July 1660 and became Deputy Lieutenant
and commissioner for assessment in August 1660, holding all roles until his death.
Crofts died at the age of and was buried at Little Saxham on 31 March 1667.
Crofts married firstly, according to a settlement on 1 November 1610, Elizabeth Wortley da. of Sir Richard Wortley of Wortley, Yorks. They had five sons and five daughters. Elizabeth died on 1 October 1643 and he married secondly Margaret and had a son. Margaret died on 26 May 1674. Three of his sons were also in exile with Charles II and the eldest William was raised to the peerage in 1658.
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...
at various times between 1624 and 1660.
Crofts was the eldest son of Sir John Crofts of Little Saxham and West Stow and his wife Mary Shirley, daughter of Sir Thomas Shirley of Wiston, Sussex. He was knighted on 3 February 1611. In 1624, 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 Eye
Eye (UK Parliament constituency)
Eye was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election...
. In 1626 he was elected MP 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...
He succeeded his father to his estates in about 1628.
Crofts was a strong Anglican and was not active 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...
although he was named as commissioner of array for Suffolk in 1642. In 1646 the sequestrators required him to surrender a portion of the estate due to his daughter, who had married without her father's consent to Sir Frederick Cornwallis
Frederick Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis
Frederick Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis Bt Kt was an English peer, MP and Privy Councillor.He was the oldest surviving son of Sir William Cornwallis of Brome, Suffolk and his second wife Jane. He succeeded his half-brother Nicholas Bacon to the family estates in 1626.He was created a baronet in...
, a Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
. This was returned when the sequestration was lifted in 1648.
In April 1660, Crofts was elected MP for Bury St Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)
Bury St Edmunds is a county constituency located in Suffolk and centred on the town of Bury St Edmunds. It elects one Member of Parliament to in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the Convention Parliament in a double return, but was seated on the merits of the election. He became J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in July 1660 and became Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
and commissioner for assessment in August 1660, holding all roles until his death.
Crofts died at the age of and was buried at Little Saxham on 31 March 1667.
Crofts married firstly, according to a settlement on 1 November 1610, Elizabeth Wortley da. of Sir Richard Wortley of Wortley, Yorks. They had five sons and five daughters. Elizabeth died on 1 October 1643 and he married secondly Margaret and had a son. Margaret died on 26 May 1674. Three of his sons were also in exile with Charles II and the eldest William was raised to the peerage in 1658.