Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford facts for kids
Francis Newport, 1st Earl of Bradford (born February 23, 1620 – died September 19, 1708) was an important English soldier and politician. He was also a courtier, meaning he spent time at the royal court. He was known as a Whig, which was a political group at the time.
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Who Was Francis Newport?
Francis Newport was born in a place called Wroxeter. He was the oldest son of Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport and his wife, Rachel Leveson. His younger brother was Andrew Newport. In 1651, Francis took over his father's title as Baron. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, which is a famous college at the University of Oxford.
Early Life and Family
On April 28, 1642, Francis Newport married Lady Diana Russell. She was the fourth daughter of Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford. They got married in St Giles in the Fields, London. Francis and Diana had five daughters and four sons together.
One of their daughters, Katherine, married Henry Herbert, who was the 4th Baron Herbert of Chirbury. When Katherine died in 1716, she left money to build special homes for people in need. These homes were in Preston upon the Weald Moors, Shropshire. She did this to say thank you for being saved when she got lost in the Alps mountains.
A Life in Politics and Service
Francis Newport was involved in politics from a young age. He represented the town of Shrewsbury in the English Parliament. During the English Civil War, he supported King Charles I. He even fought for the King in the Battle of Oswestry in 1644. Because of this, he was put in prison.
After the King was restored to power in 1660, Francis Newport became a very important person in Shropshire. He was made Custos Rotulorum of Shropshire, which meant he was the chief keeper of the county's records. He held this job for his whole life. In the same year, he also became the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. This was another important role, like a representative of the King in the county. However, King James II of England later replaced him with George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys in 1687.
Serving the King
After the Glorious Revolution in 1689, Francis Newport got his job back as Lord Lieutenant. He kept this role until 1704. He also held several important positions in the King's household. From 1668 to 1672, he was the Comptroller of the Household. This job involved managing the royal household's expenses.
Later, he became the Treasurer of the Household, which was an even bigger role in managing the King's money. He held this job from 1672 to 1686, and then again from 1689 until he died in 1708. From 1689 until King William III died in 1702, Francis Newport was also the Cofferer of the Household. This job also involved managing royal finances.
Becoming a Nobleman
In 1668, Francis Newport joined the Privy Council of England. This was a group of important advisors to the King. He was removed from the council in 1679 because he disagreed with the government. But he was allowed to rejoin in 1689.
On March 11, 1675, he was given a new noble title. He became Viscount Newport, named after Bradford in Shropshire, which was where his main home was. He received an even higher honor on May 11, 1694, when he was made Earl of Bradford.
Later Life and Legacy
Francis Newport passed away at the age of 88 in Twickenham. He was buried two weeks later at St Andrew's Church, Wroxeter. His oldest son, Richard, took over his titles. His younger son, Thomas, also became a nobleman in his own right.
