George Lowe (MP) facts for kids

George Lowe (born around 1594 – died November 19, 1682) was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making group in England. He served there at different times between 1640 and 1679. George Lowe supported the Royalist side during the English Civil War, though his support was sometimes unclear.

Early Life and Family

George Lowe was the second son of Richard Lowe. His father was a lawyer from Shrewsbury and Calne. George's mother was Mary Wootton. Her father, Charles Wotton, was a merchant from Salisbury.

George's father was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Calne in 1614. His uncle, also named George Lowe, was a merchant in London. This uncle was an MP for Calne from 1625 to 1629. In 1640, George Lowe inherited property from his mother in Calne.

Political Career and the English Civil War

In November 1640, George Lowe was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Calne. This was for a special Parliament called the Long Parliament.

Supporting the Royalists

During the English Civil War, George Lowe sided with the Royalists. These were the people who supported King Charles I. He even attended a Parliament that the King held in Oxford.

Later, George Lowe said he only joined the Royalists because he was forced to. He claimed he did not agree with their decision to call the other Parliament members "traitors."

After the War

Because he supported the King, George Lowe was stopped from being an MP in Westminster in 1644. However, he gave himself up early to a Parliamentarian leader named Edward Massey. Because of this, he was treated kindly. He had to pay a fine, but it was a smaller amount than usual.

After being released in 1646, George Lowe became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Oxfordshire. A J.P. helps keep law and order in a local area. He held this role until 1653. He also helped collect taxes in Oxfordshire from 1649 to 1652.

Later Political Life

After the King was brought back to power in 1660 (this was called the Restoration), George Lowe continued his public service.

Roles After the Restoration

• He became a Justice of the Peace for Wiltshire in July 1660. He held this role until 1663.
• He also helped collect taxes for Wiltshire starting in August 1660, also until 1663.
• From 1661 to 1679, he helped collect taxes for Oxford.
• In 1661, he was elected as an MP for Calne again. This was for the Cavalier Parliament.
• From 1662 to 1663, he worked as a commissioner for corporations in Wiltshire. This meant he helped manage local towns and cities.

Roles in Oxford

In 1665, George Lowe became the bailiff of Oxford. A bailiff was an important local official. He then served as an assistant bailiff from 1666 until he passed away. He also worked as a Clerk of petty bag from 1666 to 1680. This was a legal job.

In 1673, he again helped collect taxes for Wiltshire until 1680. He also did this for Salisbury for one year. In 1675, he was a commissioner for recusants in Wiltshire. This meant he dealt with people who refused to attend Church of England services.

Personal Life and Legacy

George Lowe was married twice. He did not have any children with his first wife. Around 1651, he married Jane Drake. She was a widow and the daughter of Martin Wright, a goldsmith from Oxford. Jane passed away on September 9, 1655, after giving birth to a son.

George Lowe left his houses in Oxford and Salisbury to his nephew, Sir Edward Lowe.

George Lowe passed away at the age of 88. His memorial in St Aldate's Church, Oxford, has a special message. It says he worked for about 40 years in Parliament. It also says he did so in a way that pleased individuals and helped the public.