Edmond Bell facts for kids

Sir Edmond Bell was an important English gentleman who lived a long time ago, from 1562 to 1607. He was from places called Castle Acre and Beaupre Hall in Norfolk, England. He became a Member of Parliament (which means he helped make laws for the country) for a town called Aldeburgh. He was also a Justice of the Peace for Norfolk, which meant he helped keep law and order. In 1603, he was made a knight by the King.

Early Life

Edmond Bell was born in 1562. He was the first son of Sir Robert Bell and Dorothie Beaupre. His family was important, and his father was also a well-known lawyer. Edmond probably went to Pembroke College, Cambridge, a famous university, to study.

When Edmond was young, his grandfather left him some special gifts in his will: "books of law and Greek." This shows that his family wanted him to follow in their footsteps and study law. When he was about 15, his father sadly passed away from a sickness called "Jail Fever," which was a type of serious illness common at the time. A couple of years later, his mother married Sir John Peyton, a respected military leader.

Career

By 1583, Edmond Bell received his family's properties, including a large estate called Castle Acre. This became his main home. Around this time, he also got married for the first time.

In 1586, he became a Member of Parliament for Aldeburgh. He was very involved in business, especially in something called "privateering." This meant he invested a lot of money in building special ships, like gunboats, that used new ideas in Naval Architecture (how ships are designed). These ships were often used by private citizens with government permission to attack enemy ships and take their goods.

However, these investments didn't make him much money. When Spain tried to invade England in 1588 (with the Spanish Armada), some of Edmond's ships might have been used to help defend England. After this, he worked hard as one of the people in charge of draining the fens. This was a big project to turn swampy land into useful farmland, and it was a success!

In 1603, King James I made Edmond Bell a knight. This was a great honor.

Family Life

Edmond Bell was married twice.

His first wife was Anne Osborne. Her father, Peter Osborne, was an important person who managed money for King Edward VI.

His second wife was Muriel Knyvett. Her father was Sir Thomas Knyvett, a nobleman.

Children

Edmond Bell had many children with his first wife, Anne Osborne:

• Sir Robert Bell
• Phillip Bell
• Henry Bell
• Peter Bell
• Lady Francis Bell, who married Sir Heneage Finch, a very important person who was the Speaker of the House of Commons. Her family line is even connected to the House of Windsor, which is the family of the current British royal family!
• Synolphus Bell
• Humphrey Bell
• Susan Bell
• Jane Bell
• Katherine Bell

He also had a son named Richard Bell with Elizabeth Inkpen, and another son named Edmund Bell with his second wife, Muriel Knyvett.