Sir Hugh Bethell (1 October 1615 – 3 October 1679) was an English politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

at various times between 1654 and 1679. Bethell was the eldest son of Hugh Bethell of Rise and his wife Ellen Johnston, daughter of Thomas Johnston of Bishop Burton. He was a captain of horse in the parliamentary army by 1643 and subsequently became a colonel. He commanded a regiment at Marston Moor, where he lost an eye. In 1645 he was a commissioner for the northern association for the East Riding of Yorkshire. He was commissioner for militia in 1649 and was governor of

Scarborough Castle Scarborough Castle is a former medieval Royal fortress situated on a rocky promontory overlooking the North Sea and Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. The site of the castle, encompassing the Iron Age settlement, Roman signal station, an Ang ...

from about 1649 to 1651. Also in 1649 he became J.P. for the East Riding of Yorkshire until 1676 and was commissioner for assessment for the East Riding of Yorkshire. From 1650 to 1652 he was commissioner for assessment for Yorkshire. He was

High Sheriff of Yorkshire The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the 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 ...

from 1652 to 1653. History of Parliament Online - Hugh Bethell
/ref> In 1654, Bethell was elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Riding or East Yorkshire, is a ceremonial county and unitary authority area in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire to the north and west, South Yorkshire to t ...

in the

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 Hou ...

. He was also commissioner for scandalous ministers for East Riding and Hull in 1654. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for East Riding for the

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. In its first session, the House of Commons was its only chamber; in t ...

. He was commissioner for assessment for the East Riding of Yorkshire and became JP for Beverley in 1657. In 1659 he succeeded to the estates on the death of his father. He was commissioner for militia in 1659 and took part in a rising against the military government. He was captain of horse from January to November 1660 when he took over the regiment of horse formerly commanded by John Lambert and was commissioner for militia in March 1669. He was commissioner for assessment for the East Riding of Yorkshire from January 1660 until his death. When Lambert escaped from the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

in April 1660, Bethell arrested the leaders in York and prevented a rising or any serious trouble. In April 1660 Bethell was elected MP for both

Beverley Beverley is a market town, market and minster (church), minster town and a civil parishes in England, civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, of which it is the county town. The town centre is located south-east of York's centre ...

and

Hedon Hedon is a town and civil parish in Holderness in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of Hull city centre. It lies to the north of the A1033 road at the crossroads of the B1240 and B1362 roads. It is pa ...

and chose to sit for Hedon in the Convention Parliament. He was knighted after 4 September 1660 and became commissioner for sewers in the same month. In 1661 he was re-elected MP for Hedon in the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter-century reign of C ...

. He was commissioner for corporations for Yorkshire from 1662 to 1663. He was Deputy Lieutenant for East Riding from 1670. In 1675 he was commissioner for recusants for Yorkshire. He was re-elected MP for Hedon at both elections in 1679 but died before the second Exclusion Parliament met. Bethell died at the age of 64 and was buried at Rise. Bethell married Mary Mitchellbourne, daughter of Thomas Mitchellbourne of Carleton, on 14 January 1641. He had a son and daughter. His son and grandson both predeceased him, and his estates went to his nephew, Hugh, who was also MP for Hedon.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethell, Hugh 1615 births 1679 deaths High Sheriffs of Yorkshire Members of the Parliament of England for Hedon English MPs 1654–1655 English MPs 1656–1658 English MPs 1660 English MPs 1661–1679 English MPs 1679 Roundheads British politicians with disabilities English people with disabilities Commissioners for sewers