George Stonhouse facts for kids

Sir George Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet (born August 28, 1603 – died March 31, 1675) was an English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's parliament. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1640 to 1644 and again from 1660 until his death in 1675. Sir George was a strong supporter of the King during the English Civil War.

Early Life and Family Background

Sir George Stonhouse was the son of Sir William Stonhouse, who was the 1st Baronet of Radley. His mother was Elizabeth Powell. A "Baronet" is a special title, like a hereditary knight, passed down through the family.

Sir George became the 3rd Baronet when his older brother passed away in 1632. This meant he inherited the title and responsibilities that came with it.

Political Career and Royalist Support

In 1637, Sir George served as the High Sheriff of Berkshire. This was an important local role, like a chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Serving in Parliament

He was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Abingdon in April 1640. This was for a short meeting of Parliament known as the Short Parliament. Later that year, in November 1640, he was elected again for the Long Parliament.

During the English Civil War, Sir George Stonhouse remained loyal to King Charles I. Because he supported the King, he attended a separate Parliament meeting in Oxford. As a result, he was removed from the Westminster Parliament in January 1644. He also had to pay a large fine of £1460 because of his loyalty to the King.

Return to Parliament

After the Civil War, Sir George Stonhouse was re-elected as an MP for Abingdon in 1660. There was a small issue with the election results at first, but he was confirmed as the winner. He continued to serve as an MP until he died in 1675.

The Baronetcy Succession

Sir George Stonhouse tried to change who would inherit his Baronet title. He wanted his second son to receive the title instead of his eldest son. In 1670, King Charles II granted a new Baronetcy title to Sir George, which was meant to pass to his second son.

However, it was later decided that a new title could not take away the original one. So, his eldest son, also named George, inherited the original Baronetcy. His second son, John, received the newer Baronetcy created in 1670. This meant there were two Stonhouse Baronetcies for a time!

Family Life

Sir George Stonhouse married Margaret Lovelace. She was the daughter of Richard Lovelace, 1st Baron Lovelace. As mentioned, their eldest son, George, inherited the first Baronetcy. Their second son, John, received the second Baronetcy.