Sir Thomas Willys, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Willys, 1st Baronet (c. 1614 – 17 November 1701) of Fen Ditton
in Cambridgeshire
, was a Member of Parliament
for Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. He was also Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Willys was created Baronet of Fen Ditton
by Charles I
on 15 December 1641. He was M.P. for Cambridgeshire
in 1659 and for Cambridge
in 1660. From 1665 to 1666 he was Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. Willys died on 17 November 1701. His will was dated 13 and prorated on 25 November 1701.
who was an officer in the Royalist Army during the Civil War
but was shunned by the court after the Restoration for working as a double agent for Oliver Cromwell
during the Interregnum.
Around 1633 Sir Thomas married Anne first daughter and coheir of Sir John Wyld, of Mystole and of St. Martin's, Canterbury, Kent, by Anne, daughter of Robert Honywood, of Charing, in that county. She, who was born at her maternal grandfather's house, at Markshall, county Essex, died 20 October 1685, aged 75.
Sir Thomas's son and heir was Sir John Willys, 2nd Baronet (c. 1635–1704) who succeed to the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1701.
Fen Ditton
Fen Ditton is a village on the northeast edge of Cambridge in Cambridgeshire, England. The parish covers an area of Fen Ditton lies on the east bank of the River Cam, on the road from Cambridge to Clayhithe, and close to junction 34 of the A14...
in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, was a Member of Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
for Cambridgeshire and Cambridge. He was also Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire.
Biography
Willys was born about 1614, He was the son and heir of his father Richard Willys and succeeded to his estates on 16 October 1628.Willys was created Baronet of Fen Ditton
Willys Baronets
There have been two baronetcies granted to the Willyses of Fen Ditton, both in the Baronetage of England. The Willys Baronetcy, of Fen Ditton in Cambridgeshire, was first created in the Baronetage of England on 15 December 1641 for Thomas Willys, son and heir of Richard Willys, of Fen Ditton and...
by 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...
on 15 December 1641. He was M.P. for Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridgeshire 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. It was represented by two Knights...
in 1659 and for Cambridge
Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge is a parliamentary 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 voting system....
in 1660. From 1665 to 1666 he was Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. Willys died on 17 November 1701. His will was dated 13 and prorated on 25 November 1701.
Family
Sir Thomas was son and heir of Richard Willys, of Fen Ditton and Horningsey, Cambridgeshire, by Jane, daughter and heir of William Henmaesh, of Balls, in Ware, Hertfordshire. He was the elder brother of Sir RobertRichard Willis (spy)
Sir Richard Willis, 1st Baronet was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War, and a double agent working for the Parliamentarians during the Interregnum.-Biography:...
who was an officer in the Royalist Army during the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
but was shunned by the court after the Restoration for working as a double agent for 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 Interregnum.
Around 1633 Sir Thomas married Anne first daughter and coheir of Sir John Wyld, of Mystole and of St. Martin's, Canterbury, Kent, by Anne, daughter of Robert Honywood, of Charing, in that county. She, who was born at her maternal grandfather's house, at Markshall, county Essex, died 20 October 1685, aged 75.
Sir Thomas's son and heir was Sir John Willys, 2nd Baronet (c. 1635–1704) who succeed to the baronetcy on the death of his father in 1701.