Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of Harrow on the Hill
Encyclopedia
Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of Harrow on the Hill (23 October 1587 – 6 January 1670), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1614 and 1660. He was a supporter of the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War
and of Oliver Cromwell
during the Protectorate
.
Gilbert served as Clerk of council for the duchy of Lancaster from 1609 to 1640. He was elected Member of Parliament
for Wigan
in 1614 and created a baronet
in 1620. In 1621 he was elected knight of the shire (MP) for county of Middlesex
. In 1624 he was elected MP for both Middlesex and Newtown, Isle of Wight
but chose to sit for Middlesex. He was elected again for Middlesex in 1625 and 1626. In 1626 he was also appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
.
In April 1640 Gerard was elected MP for Middlesex for the Short Parliament
and in November the same year for the Long Parliament
. He showed himself to be an enemy to the Earl of Strafford
, and afterwards joined the Parliamentary cause against the King. He was appointed to the Committee of Both Kingdoms
, and he was made paymaster of the Parliamentary army. He had three-pence in the pound allowance, worth fifty thousand pounds and also was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
. The Lord Protector
Oliver Cromwell
made him a lord of his Upper House.
After Richard Cromwell
's resignation as Protector Gerard was refused admission to the House of Commons because of his alliance to and friendship for the Cromwells. He had the courage to bring an action against Colonel Alured, who had personally stopped him as he was entering the House; but Parliament ordered the action to be dropped, as it was done by their order. The Army soon after obtaining the superiority, he was nominated one of the new Council of State
. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Lancaster
. He survived the restoration, dying on 6 January 1670, and was buried at Harrow.
His son Francis
inherited the baronetcy. Another son Gilbert
was also an MP. The baronetcy became extinct with the death of Sir Cheeke Gerard, 5th Baronet in 1716.
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 1660. He was a supporter of the Parliamentary cause 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...
and of 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....
during the Protectorate
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
.
Biography
Gerard was the son of William Gerard of Flambards, Harrow-on-the-Hill and his wife Dorothy Ratcliff, daughter of John Ratcliff of Langley. He succeeded his father in 1609, inheriting Flambards in Harrow .Gilbert served as Clerk of council for the duchy of Lancaster from 1609 to 1640. 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 Wigan
Wigan (UK Parliament constituency)
Wigan is a county constituency 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 1614 and created a baronet
Gerard Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for descendants of the ancient Lancashire family of Gerard.The Baronetcy of Gerard of Bryn Lancashire was created in the Baronetage of England in 1611 for Thomas Gerard, MP...
in 1620. In 1621 he was elected knight of the shire (MP) for county of Middlesex
Middlesex (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesex 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 1885....
. In 1624 he was elected MP for both Middlesex and Newtown, Isle of Wight
Newtown (UK Parliament constituency)
Newtown was a parliamentary borough located in Newtown on the Isle of Wight, which was represented in the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
but chose to sit for Middlesex. He was elected again for Middlesex in 1625 and 1626. In 1626 he was also appointed High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times...
.
In April 1640 Gerard was elected MP for Middlesex for 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....
and in November the same year 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...
. He showed himself to be an enemy to the Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
, and afterwards joined the Parliamentary cause against the King. He was appointed to the Committee of Both Kingdoms
Committee of Both Kingdoms
The Committee of Both Kingdoms, , was a committee set up during the English Civil War by the Parliamentarian faction in association with representatives from the Scottish Covenanters, to oversee the conduct of the War and Foreign Policy...
, and he was made paymaster of the Parliamentary army. He had three-pence in the pound allowance, worth fifty thousand pounds and also was appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
. The Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
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....
made him a lord of his Upper House.
After Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
's resignation as Protector Gerard was refused admission to the House of Commons because of his alliance to and friendship for the Cromwells. He had the courage to bring an action against Colonel Alured, who had personally stopped him as he was entering the House; but Parliament ordered the action to be dropped, as it was done by their order. The Army soon after obtaining the superiority, he was nominated one of the new Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Lancaster
Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancaster 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 1867, centred on the historic city of Lancaster in north-west England...
. He survived the restoration, dying on 6 January 1670, and was buried at Harrow.
Family
In 1614 Gerard married Mary, a daughter of Sir Francis Barrington and Joan Cromwell, and a cousin of Oliver Cromwell. He thereby acquired that year the manor of Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire.His son Francis
Sir Francis Gerard, 2nd Baronet
Sir Francis Gerard, 2nd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1641 and 1660....
inherited the baronetcy. Another son Gilbert
Gilbert Gerard (died 1683)
Sir Gilbert Gerard was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660.Gerard was the son of Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of Harrow on the Hill and his wife Mary Barrington, daughter of Sir Francis Barrington. He was admitted at Emmanuel College, Cambridge on 20 August 1634...
was also an MP. The baronetcy became extinct with the death of Sir Cheeke Gerard, 5th Baronet in 1716.