John Ashe (of Freshford)
Encyclopedia
John Ashe was an English clothier and politician who sat in the House of Commons
ar various times between 1640 and 1656.
Ashe was the son of James Ashe of Freshford
, Somerset and his wife Grace Pitt, daughter of Richard Pitt of Melcombe Regis He entered the cloth trade and became on the "greatest clothier in his time".
In April 1640, Ashe was elected Member of Parliament
for Westbury
in the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected MP for Westbury for the Long Parliament
in November 1640. During the Commonwealth, Ashe received much favour from Oliver Cromwell
, but could not be persuaded to be one of the king's judges.
Ashe pioneered new techniques in textile manufacturer and in 1650 brough Dutch technicians to Freshford to teach new methods to perfect the Spanish warp. By this innovation, the amount of cloth produced from an amount of wool was doubled, and Ashe profited accordingly. He was elected MP for Somerset
in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament
and in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament
. On 19 January 1657, John Ashe proposed an amendment to the Speaker's debate congratolating Cromwell on surviving an assassination attempt and adding a hope that Cromwell “take upon him the government according to the ancient constitution”, by which he intended the Crown.
Ashe died at the age of 61 leaving a landed estate valued at £6000 a year.
Ashe married Elizabeth Davidson, daughter of Henry Davison of Freshford and his wife Anne Olivers of Quelmerford, Wiltshire, and had a family. He was the brother of Edward Ashe
MP for Heytesbury.
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...
ar various times between 1640 and 1656.
Ashe was the son of James Ashe of Freshford
Freshford
Freshford is a village and civil parish in the Avon valley south-east of Bath, in the county of Somerset, England. The parish has a population of 530...
, Somerset and his wife Grace Pitt, daughter of Richard Pitt of Melcombe Regis He entered the cloth trade and became on the "greatest clothier in his time".
In April 1640, Ashe 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 Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He was re-elected MP for Westbury for 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...
in November 1640. During the Commonwealth, Ashe received much favour from Oliver 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....
, but could not be persuaded to be one of the king's judges.
Ashe pioneered new techniques in textile manufacturer and in 1650 brough Dutch technicians to Freshford to teach new methods to perfect the Spanish warp. By this innovation, the amount of cloth produced from an amount of wool was doubled, and Ashe profited accordingly. He was elected MP for Somerset
Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, which returned two Members of Parliament , known traditionally as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...
in 1654 for 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 in 1656 for 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...
. On 19 January 1657, John Ashe proposed an amendment to the Speaker's debate congratolating Cromwell on surviving an assassination attempt and adding a hope that Cromwell “take upon him the government according to the ancient constitution”, by which he intended the Crown.
Ashe died at the age of 61 leaving a landed estate valued at £6000 a year.
Ashe married Elizabeth Davidson, daughter of Henry Davison of Freshford and his wife Anne Olivers of Quelmerford, Wiltshire, and had a family. He was the brother of Edward Ashe
Edward Ashe
Edward Ashe was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1652.Ashe was the son of James Ashe of Freshford, Somerset and his wife Grace Pitt, daughter of Richard Pitt of Melcombe Regis He acquired the manor of Halstead, Kent.In November 1640, Ashe was elected Member of...
MP for Heytesbury.