Sir Gervase Clifton, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Gervase Clifton, 1st Baronet (25 November 1587 – 28 June 1666), K.B. was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1614 and 1666. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
.
Clifton was made a Knight of the Bath. He became a Justice of the Peace
for Nottinghamshire in 1609, remaining until 1646. In 1611 he was third on the list of creations for the new order of Baronet
. He was active in local Nottinghamshire and national politics in both the reign of James I and Charles I
. He was High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
in 1610 and High Steward of East Retford from 1616 to 1647. During the reign of King James he was elected Member of Parliament
for Nottinghamshire
in 1614, 1621, 1624 and 1625. He was County Treasurer from 1625 to 1626, and Deputy Lieutenant
from 1626 to 1642. In 1626, he was elected MP for Nottingham
and in 1628, he was re-elected MP for Nottinghamshire in 1628. He sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In November 1640, Clifton was elected MP for East Retford
in the Long Parliament
. He took up arms in the King's cause in the Civil War. He was a Commissioner for the King at Newark and Oxford, and a Commissioner of Array for Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in 1642. When King Charles called for members of the Long Parliament loyal to him to meet in session Oxford
Clifton did so and was disabled from sitting in parliament at Westminster. With the defeat of the Royalist cause in 1646 and the capture of the King, Clifton lost his political influence both nationally and locally. He was declared a "delinquent" and fined £7,625 (£ as of ) . By the time sequestration of his estates was ended in 1650 he had paid off about half of the money. He was not active in politics again until after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
After the Restoration he regained his influence in Nottinghamshire and from 1660, served Justice of the Peace for Nottinghamshire, High Steward of East Retford and Deputy Lieutenant. He was re-elected MP for Nottinghamshire in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament
. He held all these positions until his death aged 78 in 1666.
.
Clifton was married seven times and had thirteen children.
He married Lady Penelope Rich (d. 26 October 1613), daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
and Lady Penelope Devereux. This marriage produced one son:
He married Lady Frances Clifford (d. 1627), daughter of Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland
and Grisold Hughes. This marriage produced six children
He married Mary Egioke (d.1630), daughter of John Egioke
of Egioke, Worcestershire.
He married Isobel Meek (d.1637).
He married Anne South (d.1639), daughter of Sir Francis South of Kelstern
, Lincolnshire.
He married Jane Eyre (d.1655), daughter of Anthony Eyre of Laughton-en-le-Morthen
, Nottinghamshire and Rampton, Nottinghamshire
. This marriage produced four children:
Lastly, he married Lady Alice Hastings, daughter of Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon
and Lady Elizabeth Stanley
, on 17 December 1656 at St. Andrew Undershaft, London.
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 1614 and 1666. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Political career
In 1603 at the English coronation of King James IJames I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
Clifton was made a Knight of the Bath. He became a Justice of the Peace
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...
for Nottinghamshire in 1609, remaining until 1646. In 1611 he was third on the list of creations for the new order of Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
. He was active in local Nottinghamshire and national politics in both the reign of James I and Charles I
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...
. He was High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire
’The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1610 and High Steward of East Retford from 1616 to 1647. During the reign of King James 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 Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottinghamshire 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 1832...
in 1614, 1621, 1624 and 1625. He was County Treasurer from 1625 to 1626, and 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....
from 1626 to 1642. In 1626, he was elected MP for Nottingham
Nottingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham was a parliamentary borough in Nottinghamshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295. In 1885 the constituency was abolished and the city of Nottingham divided into three single-member constituencies....
and in 1628, he was re-elected MP for Nottinghamshire in 1628. He sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years.
In November 1640, Clifton was elected MP for East Retford
East Retford (UK Parliament constituency)
East Retford was a parliamentary constituency in Nottinghamshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons for the first time in 1316, and continuously from 1571 until 1885, when the constituency was abolished...
in 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...
. He took up arms in the King's cause in the Civil War. He was a Commissioner for the King at Newark and Oxford, and a Commissioner of Array for Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire in 1642. When King Charles called for members of the Long Parliament loyal to him to meet in session Oxford
Oxford Parliament (1644)
The Oxford Parliament was the Parliament assembled by King Charles I for the first time 22 January 1644 and adjourned for the last time on 10 March 1645, with the purpose of instrumenting the Royalist war campaign.Charles was advised by Edward Hyde and others not to dissolve the Long Parliament as...
Clifton did so and was disabled from sitting in parliament at Westminster. With the defeat of the Royalist cause in 1646 and the capture of the King, Clifton lost his political influence both nationally and locally. He was declared a "delinquent" and fined £7,625 (£ as of ) . By the time sequestration of his estates was ended in 1650 he had paid off about half of the money. He was not active in politics again until after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
After the Restoration he regained his influence in Nottinghamshire and from 1660, served Justice of the Peace for Nottinghamshire, High Steward of East Retford and Deputy Lieutenant. He was re-elected MP for Nottinghamshire in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
. He held all these positions until his death aged 78 in 1666.
Family
Clifton was born to his mother Lady Anne Thorold three months after the death of his father Sir George Clifton, in 1587. The next year, with the death of his grandfather, Sir Gervase Clifton, he inherited the Clifton estates in Nottinghamshire. His guardians were his uncle, William Thorold, and Lord Burghley, although his early care fell to his maternal grandmother Lady Anne Thorold. Later he was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, and at the Inner TempleInner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
.
Clifton was married seven times and had thirteen children.
He married Lady Penelope Rich (d. 26 October 1613), daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich, created 1st Earl of Warwick was the son of Robert Rich, 2nd Baron Rich, and Elizabeth Baldry.-Marriages and children:First married Penelope Devereux on 10 January, 1581...
and Lady Penelope Devereux. This marriage produced one son:
- Sir Gervase Clifton, 2nd BaronetSir Gervase Clifton, 2nd Baronet-Family:Gervase was the only son of Sir Gervase Clifton, 1st Baronet, and his first wife Lady Penelope Rich, daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and Lady Penelope Devereux. His mother died in 1613, and his father married six more times and had many more children.He studied at Trinity...
(ca.1612 - 1676)
He married Lady Frances Clifford (d. 1627), daughter of Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland
Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland
Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676....
and Grisold Hughes. This marriage produced six children
- Margaret Clifton (d. Feb 1697/98)
- Frances Clifton
- Anne Clifton
- Lettice Clifton (d. 1659)
- Elizabeth Clifton
- Clifford CliftonClifford CliftonSir Clifford Clifton was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1659.Clifford was the son of Sir Gervase Clifton, 1st Baronet and his second wife Lady Frances Clifford, daughter of Francis Clifford, 4th Earl of Cumberland, and was baptised on 22 June 1626. He was...
(1626 - 1670)
He married Mary Egioke (d.1630), daughter of John Egioke
John Egioke
John Egioke was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Egioke was the eldest son of Sir Francis Egioke of Shernock Court. He was at Lincoln's Inn in 1635...
of Egioke, Worcestershire.
He married Isobel Meek (d.1637).
He married Anne South (d.1639), daughter of Sir Francis South of Kelstern
Kelstern
Kelstern is a village in the civil parish of Calcethorpe with Kelstern, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The village lies north of the A632, north-west from Louth and south-east from Binbrook. The parish includes the hamlets of Calcethorpe to the south of Kelstern, and...
, Lincolnshire.
He married Jane Eyre (d.1655), daughter of Anthony Eyre of Laughton-en-le-Morthen
Laughton-en-le-Morthen
Laughton-en-le-Morthen is a small dormitory village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham lying to the south of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England, and its main attraction is the All Saints Church with its huge spire. It has a population of 1,185.- Origin :There are several...
, Nottinghamshire and Rampton, Nottinghamshire
Rampton, Nottinghamshire
Rampton is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 1,269. Its name came from Anglo-Saxon Ramm-tūn = "ram farmstead". It is located in the Trent valley north of Nottingham, in the Bassetlaw district 8 miles east of Retford...
. This marriage produced four children:
- Jane Clifton
- Charles Clifton
- Mary Clifton
- Robert Clifton (b. 1641) - eldest son became Sir Gervase Clifton, 4th BaronetSir Gervase Clifton, 4th BaronetSir Gervase Clifton was 4th Baronet Clifton of Clifton, Nottinghamshire.-Family:Gervase was the eldest son of Robert Clifton of Blyth, and his wife Sarah Parkhurst, daughter of Nathaniel Parkhurst of Woodford, Essex...
Lastly, he married Lady Alice Hastings, daughter of Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon
Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon
Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon was a prominent English nobleman and literary patron in England during the first half of the seventeenth century.-Life:...
and Lady Elizabeth Stanley
Lady Elizabeth Stanley
Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Huntingdon was an English noblewoman and writer who was third in line of succession to the English throne. She was the wife of Henry Hastings, 5th Earl of Huntingdon...
, on 17 December 1656 at St. Andrew Undershaft, London.