BIRCH, John (1615-91), of Bristol, Westminster and Whitbourne, Herefs.

Family and Education

b. 7 Sept. 1615, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Samuel Birch of Ardwick Manor, Manchester, Lancs. and Mary, da. of Ralph Smith of Doblane House, Manchester. m. (1) lic. 5 Aug. 1639 Alice (d. 3 Sept. 1675), da. of Thomas Deane of Bristol, wid. of Thomas Selfe, grocer, of Bristol, 2s. (1 d.v.p.) 3da.; (2) Winifred (d. 1717), da. of Matthew Norris of Weobley, Herefs. 1s. d.v.p. suc. fa. 1669. d. 10 May 1691.Vis. Lancs. 1664 (Chetham. Soc. lxxxiv), 34; St Nicholas Bristol, par. reg.; E. Heath-Agnew, Roundhead to Royalist (Hereford, 1977), pp. viii, 1.

Offices Held

Civic: freeman, Bristol 16 Mar. 1640.Bristol RO, 04359/2, f. 288v. High steward, Leominster 22 Nov. 1648-June 1660.CJ vi. 84a; G.F. Townshend, Town and Borough of Leominster (Leominster, n. d.), 291.

Military: capt. (parlian.) militia volunteers, Bristol by Aug. 1642–27 July 1643.Bodl. Nalson XIII, f. 179; A More Full Declaration of all Particulars (1643), 3 (E.97.6); Military Memoir of Col. John Birch (Cam. Soc. n.s. vii), 2–3. Lt.-col. of ft. regt. of Sir Arthur Hesilrige*, Sept. 1643-c.Sept. 1644. Col. of ft. Kent Sept. 1644.Military Memoir, 13–4; SP28/130. Gov. Bridgwater, Som. July-Aug. 1645. Col. of ft. under Sir Thomas Fairfax*, July-Sept. 1645. Dep. gov. Bath and Bristol Sept-Dec. 1645. Col. of ft. under Cttee. of Both Kingdoms, Dec. 1645-July 1646.Military Memoir, 21–3, 35. Commr. surrender of Raglan Castle, 15 Aug. 1646.Sprigge, Anglia Rediviva, 303.

Local: commr. for Bristol 1 July 1644; assessment, 18 Oct. 1644, 23 June 1647, 16 Feb. 1648; Herefs. 23 June 1647, 16 Feb. 1648, 7 Dec. 1649, 26 Nov. 1650, 10 Dec. 1652, 9 June 1657, 26 Jan., 1 June 1660, 1661, 1664, 1672, 1677, 1679, 1689; Mdx., Westminster 1679; London 1690;A. and O.; SR.; An Ordinance...for an Assessment (1660, E.1075.6). military rule, Kent 23 Apr. 1645; rising in Kent, 7 June 1645;A. and O. Herefs. militia, 23 May 1648;LJ x. 277a. militia, Bristol 2 Dec. 1648; Herefs. 2 Dec. 1648, 12 Mar. 1660; Mon., Rad., Salop, Worcs. 12 Mar. 1660.A. and O. J.p. Herefs. Mar. 1660–80, ?1689–d. Col. militia ft. 9 June 1660.Herefs. RO, AK10/6. Commr. poll tax, 1660; subsidy, 1663;SR. recusants, 1675.CTB iv. 696. Dep. lt. Herefs. and London 1689–d.HP Commons 1660–1690, ‘John Birch’.

Central: member, cttee. for indemnity, 21 May 1647;A. and O. cttee. for plundered ministers, 5 Oct. 1647;CJ v. 326b. cttee. for excise, 5 Jan. 1648.CJ v. 416b; LJ ix. 639b. Commr. to Scottish Parliament, 27 Jan. 1648.CJ v. 442b; LJ x. 4a. Member, cttee. of navy and customs by 1 Dec. 1648.CJ vi. 92a. Cllr. of state, 25 Feb. 1660.A. and O. Commr. disbanding army, 27 Oct. 1660. Auditor of excise, 13 Feb. 1661–d.HMC 5th Rep. 361; Herefs. RO, AK10/2.

Parlimentarian

BIRCH, John (1615-91), of The Homme, nr. Leominster and Garnstone Manor, Weobley, Herefs.

: Westminster and Herefs., Whitbourne.

Likenesses

Likenesses: fun. monument, 1691, Weobley church, Herefs.

Volume

Commons 1640-1660

Web Title

BIRCH, John (1615-91), of Bristol, Westminster and Whitbourne, Herefs.

Will

9 Aug. 1690, pr. 14 July 1691.PROB11/405/262.

Estates

purchased lands of Somerset Fox, July 1646;Brampton Bryan MSS, bdle. 5; CJ v. 150a. structure of Worcester cathedral steeple, Oct. 1646 for £617;Military Memoir, 235. manor house of Whitbourne, for more than £1,348 by Apr. 1649, bishop’s palace, Hereford and manors of Shelwick, Barton, Tupsley, Eaton Bishop, Hampton Bishop, Sugwas, demesne of Barton, Herefs. with fishing on Lugg and Wye 22 Feb. 1650, small parcel of land, College Green, Bristol, Mar. 1650, lands in Hampton Bishop, Herefs. 3 Dec. 1652, property in Hereford 23 June 1654, hundred courts at palace of Hereford, 26 Mar. 1659, all from trustees of sale of bishops’ lands;Webb, Memorials, i. 310; Robinson, Mansions and Manors, 300; Herefs. RO, F78/II/441; 057/5, 6; Military Memoir, 154. prebend and manor of Upper Bullinghope, manors of Breinton and Church Withington, Herefs. 23 Mar. 1650, and properties in Hereford, 25 Oct. 1650 all from trustees for sale of dean and chapter lands.Herefs. RO, 057/3, 4 Bought Garnstone estate, Weobley, 1661.Robinson, Mansions and Manors, 291.

Oxford 1644

Addresses

Religion

appointed Maurice Bidwell as chaplain to his regt.; discharged with the regiment in 1647.Add. 70061, bdle 1.

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