John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston (1616 – 11 February 1695) 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 Bicameralism, 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 ...

from 1663 to 1679. He was created Baron Ossulston in 1682.

Life

Bennet was the eldest son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Harlington,

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

and his wife Dorothy Crofts. He was baptised on 5 July 1616. History of Parliament Online – Bennet, John
/ref> He matriculated at

Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is located on Pembroke Square, Oxford. The college was founded in 1624 by King James I of England and VI of Scotland, using in part the endowment of merchant Thomas Tesdale ...

on 24 April 1635, aged about 17 and was a student of

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

in 1636. 'Alumni Oxonienses, 1500-1714: Bennell-Bloye', Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714 (1891), pp. 106–141. Date accessed: 17 June 2012
/ref> In 1658, he succeeded his father to the estate of Dawley in Harlington. He was made a

Knight of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

on 23 April 1661 at the coronation of Charles II and was Lieutenant of the

Gentlemen Pensioners His Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms is a Sovereign's Bodyguard, bodyguard to the British monarchy, British Monarch. Until 17 March 1834, they were known as The Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners. Formation ...

. In 1663, Bennet was elected member of parliament for Wallingford in a by-election to the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

. He owed a lot of his influence to his brother,

Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington (1618 – 28 July 1685) was an England, English statesman. A supporter of the Cavaliers, Royalists during the English Civil War, he joined the royal family in exile before returning to England at the Stuart R ...

. In 1672, he gave a benefaction to Pembroke College. Oxford, to create scholarships for students from particular schools in Gloucestershire. He was created Lord Ossulston, Baron Ossulston on 24 November 1682. Ossulston is the name of a hundred of the ceremonial county of Middlesex. His wife,

Bridget Bridget is an Irish language, Irish female name derived from the Goidelic languages, Gaelic noun , meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternative meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely re ...

, was a noted book collector. He supported the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1688, was the deposition of James II and VII, James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II, Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange ...

of 1688 and signed the petition for a free Parliament and the declaration to the Prince of Orange, but was reckoned among the opposition peers in 1690. In 1692, he donated 250 pounds to Pembroke College, Oxford. Lord Ossulton died at the age of about 78 and was buried at Harlington. Richard Phillips painted a copy of his portrait in armour that had previously been painted by an unknown artist and presented it to Pembroke College in 1721.See ARTUK https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/sir-john-bennet-16161695-lord-ossulston-223048

Family

Bennet was married twice, first to Elizabeth, widow of

Edmund Sheffield, 2nd Earl of Mulgrave Edmund Sheffield, 2nd Earl of Mulgrave (December 161124 August 1658) was an English peer who supported the Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War period. Early life Edmund Sheffield was born in December 1611 to Sir John Sheffield ...

and daughter of

Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex (1575 – 6 August 1645) was an English merchant and politician. He sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1622 when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Cranfield. Life He was the second son ...

and his wife Elizabeth Shepherd. They had no children. His second wife was Bridget Howe, daughter of John Grubham Howe of Langar and his wife Annabella Scrope, daughter of

Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland, 11th Baron Scrope of Bolton (1 August 1584 – 30 May 1630) was an English nobleman. He was Lord President of the King's Council in the North. Family He was the only child of Thomas Scrope, 10th Baron Sc ...

. They had two children

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

, who was given the title

Earl of Tankerville Earl of Tankerville is a noble title drawn from Tancarville in Normandy. The title has been created three times: twice in the Peerage of England, and once (in 1714) in the Peerage of Great Britain for Charles Bennet, 2nd Baron Ossulston. His ...

and Annabella (1682–1698). Bridget was notable as a collector of books.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ossulston, John Bennet, 1st Baron 1616 births 1695 deaths Barons in the Peerage of England Peers of England created by Charles II Alumni of Pembroke College, Oxford Members of Gray's Inn Knights of the Bath English MPs 1661–1679