George Peard facts for kids
George Peard (born 1594, died 1645) was an important person from Barnstaple in Devon, England. He was a politician who served in the English government, specifically in the House of Commons, from 1640 until his death in 1645. During the English Civil War, he supported the side known as the Parliamentarians.
George Peard's uncle, also named George Peard (1548-1621), was also a Member of Parliament for Barnstaple twice, in 1597 and 1604.
George Peard's Political Journey
George Peard was a lawyer and a member of a famous law school called the Middle Temple. In April 1640, he was chosen to be one of the two Members of Parliament for Barnstaple. This was for a short time, known as the Short Parliament.
He was chosen again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. He stayed a Member of Parliament until he passed away in 1645. George Peard was very involved in the legal actions against a powerful leader named Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford in 1641. He also helped try to defend his hometown of Barnstaple in 1643 during the English Civil War.
His Death and Memorial
George Peard died in 1645 when he was 51 years old. There is a special monument for him in St Peter's Church in Barnstaple. This monument includes a statue of him made from alabaster, a type of stone.
The statue shows him from the waist up, wearing a black gown with tassels, which was common clothing for important town officials back then. His right arm rests on a skull, and his left arm is on a closed book. This was a common way to show people in statues from that time. The monument also has a Latin message that talks about his life and his beliefs.
