Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford PC (23 February 1620 – 19 September 1708), styled The Honourable between 1642 and 1651, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

soldier, courtier and Whig politician.

Background

Born at

Wroxeter Wroxeter is a village in Shropshire, England, which forms part of the civil parish of Wroxeter and Uppington, beside the River Severn, south-east of Shrewsbury. '' Viroconium Cornoviorum'', the fourth largest city in Roman Britain, was site ...

, he was the eldest son of

Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport (7 May 1587 – 8 February 1651). was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War and was ...

and his wife Rachel Leveson, daughter of

Sir John Leveson Sir John Leveson (21 March 1555 – 14 November 1615) was an English politician. He was instrumental in putting down the Essex rebellion of 8 February 1601. Family John Leveson, born 21 March 1555 at Whornes Place, Cuxton, Kent, was the eldest ...

(circa 1555 – 1615) and sister of Sir Richard Leveson (1598–1661). His younger brother was

Andrew Newport Andrew Newport JP (baptised 30 November 1622 – 11 September 1699), styled The Honourable from 1642, was an English Tory politician, courtier and royalist. Background He was the second son of Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport, and his wife R ...

. In 1651, he succeeded his father as baron. Newport was educated at Christ Church,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Career

He represented Shrewsbury in both the Short Parliament and

Long Parliament The Long Parliament was an English Parliament which lasted from 1640 until 1660. It followed the fiasco of the Short Parliament, which had convened for only three weeks during the spring of 1640 after an 11-year parliamentary absence. In Septem ...

. A royalist during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

, he fought in 1644 in the Battle of Oswestry on the side of

King Charles I of England Charles I (19 November 1600 – 30 January 1649) was King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until Execution of Charles I, his execution in 1649. He was born into the House of Stuart as the second son of King James VI of ...

and was then imprisoned. After the restoration in 1660, Newport became Custos Rotulorum of Shropshire, fulfilling this office for his lifetime. In the same year, he had been appointed also

Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. Before the English Civil War, the lieutenancy of Shropshire was always held by the Lord Lieutenant of Wales, but after the Restoration, its lieutenants were appointed sep ...

, but on the command of

King James II of England James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

was replaced by George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys in 1687. After Jeffrey's death and the Glorious Revolution in 1689, Newport was restored as Lord Lieutenant until 1704. Newport was Comptroller of the Household between 1668 and 1672. Subsequently, he was appointed

Treasurer of the Household The Treasurer of the Household is a member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The position is usually held by one of the government deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons. The current holder of the office is Mar ...

, a post he held a first time until 1686, and three years later again until his death in 1708. Newport was also

Cofferer of the Household The Cofferer of the Household was formerly an office in the English and British Royal Household. Next in rank to the Comptroller, the holder paid the wages of some of the servants above and below stairs, was a member of the Board of Green Cloth, a ...

from 1689 until the death of

King William III of England William III (William Henry; ; 4 November 16508 March 1702), also widely known as William of Orange, was the sovereign Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from th ...

in 1702. In 1668, he was sworn of the Privy Council of England, expelled in 1679 for his opposition to the government, but readmitted in 1689. On 11 March 1675, he was elevated to the peerage as Viscount Newport, of Bradford, in the County of Shropshire, his main home. On 11 May 1694, he was further honoured when he was created Earl of Bradford.

Family and death

Diana Russel, Lady Newport by Peter Lely

On 28 April 1642, Newport married Lady Diana Russell, fourth daughter of

Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford PC (1587 – 9 May 1641) was an English nobleman and politician. He built the square of Covent Garden, with the piazza and church of St. Paul's, employing Inigo Jones as his architect. He is also known fo ...

, at St Giles in the Fields,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and had by her five daughters and four sons. One daughter, Katherine, married Henry Herbert, 4th

Baron Herbert of Chirbury The title of Baron Herbert of Chirbury was created five times, twice in the Peerage of England, twice in the Peerage of Great Britain and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The title of Baron Herbert of Castle Island was created once i ...

: she left funds on her death in 1716 to endow almshouses in Preston upon the Weald Moors, Shropshire, as ''a thanksgiving for her rescue when lost on the Alps''. Newport died aged 88 in

Twickenham Twickenham is a suburban district in London, England. It is situated on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historically part of Middlesex, it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames since 1965, and the boroug ...

He was buried in St Andrew's Church, Wroxeter, two weeks later and was succeeded in his titles by his oldest son

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...

. His younger son

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

was raised to the Peerage of England in his own right.

References

, - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bradford, Francis Newport, 1st Earl of 1620 births 1708 deaths Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Cavaliers 01 Lord-Lieutenants of Shropshire Members of the Privy Council of England Treasurers of the Household English MPs 1640 (April) English MPs 1640–1648