John Pollard (speaker)
Encyclopedia
Sir John Pollard was a Speaker of the English House of Commons
. He became Speaker in 1553 and he was knighted only a few weeks before his death.
, by Avice, daughter of Richard Pollard of Way, Devon. John Pollard may have been the Pollard who, without Christian name, is mentioned as entering the Middle Temple
on 3 June 1515; but it may also be that this entry is that of Lewis Pollard, son of Sir Hugh Pollard and grandson of Sir Lewis Pollard the judge. John was appointed Autumn Reader of the Middle Temple in 1535, and became serjeant-at-law
in 1547.
In 1529 and 1536 he was elected Member of Parliament
for Plymouth
.
After 1545 he received, perhaps through the influence of a relative, Richard Pollard, who had taken part in the suppression of the monasteries, a grant of the manor of Nuneham Courtney, where he subsequently lived. He was relieved by patent of 21 October 1550 from his office of serjeant-at-law, in order to become vice-president of the council for the Welsh marches. He was elected member for Oxfordshire
in the parliaments of 1553 and 1554, and for Chippenham, Wiltshire
in that of 1555.
He was chosen Speaker of the House of Commons in 1553, and again in 1555, holding the office till the close of the parliament of 1555. He was knighted in October 1555.
He died in August 1557, and was buried on 25 August. He had married Mary, daughter of Richard Gray of London, but left no issue. His estates passed mostly to his brother Anthony, after the death of his widow.
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
. He became Speaker in 1553 and he was knighted only a few weeks before his death.
Life
He was second son of Walter Pollard of PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, by Avice, daughter of Richard Pollard of Way, Devon. John Pollard may have been the Pollard who, without Christian name, is mentioned as entering the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
on 3 June 1515; but it may also be that this entry is that of Lewis Pollard, son of Sir Hugh Pollard and grandson of Sir Lewis Pollard the judge. John was appointed Autumn Reader of the Middle Temple in 1535, and became serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
in 1547.
In 1529 and 1536 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 Plymouth
Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies.-In the...
.
After 1545 he received, perhaps through the influence of a relative, Richard Pollard, who had taken part in the suppression of the monasteries, a grant of the manor of Nuneham Courtney, where he subsequently lived. He was relieved by patent of 21 October 1550 from his office of serjeant-at-law, in order to become vice-president of the council for the Welsh marches. He was elected member for Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Oxfordshire was a county 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 1885. It was represented by two Members of Parliament. In 1832 this was increased to three...
in the parliaments of 1553 and 1554, and for Chippenham, Wiltshire
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...
in that of 1555.
He was chosen Speaker of the House of Commons in 1553, and again in 1555, holding the office till the close of the parliament of 1555. He was knighted in October 1555.
He died in August 1557, and was buried on 25 August. He had married Mary, daughter of Richard Gray of London, but left no issue. His estates passed mostly to his brother Anthony, after the death of his widow.