George Wentworth (of Woolley) facts for kids
Sir George Wentworth (1599 – 18 October 1660) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament. During the English Civil War, he was a strong supporter of the King and fought for the Royalist army.
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Sir George Wentworth: A Royalist in the English Civil War
Early Life and Family
George Wentworth was born in 1599. His father was Michael Wentworth, from a place called Woolley. His mother was Frances Downes. George was honored with a knighthood on April 25, 1630, at Whitehall, which was a royal palace.
A Politician's Path
In April 1640, George Wentworth was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontefract. This was for a short time, in what was known as the Short Parliament. Later that year, in November 1640, he was re-elected as MP for Pontefract for the longer Long Parliament.
Fighting for the King
When the English Civil War began, Sir George Wentworth chose to support King Charles I. He joined the Royalist side. Because of this, he was removed from Parliament in September 1642. He even used his own money to create a group of soldiers, called a regiment, to fight for the King.
Family and a Royal Connection
Sir George Wentworth was married two times. His first wife was Anne Fairfax. They had two sons together. His second wife was Everild Maltby. They had more children.
Interestingly, Everild Maltby was a descendant of a very famous royal, Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. Cecily Neville was the mother of King Edward IV and King Richard III. This connection became very important much later. In 2013, when the remains of Richard III of England were found, scientists used mitochondrial DNA to help identify him. This special DNA was passed down through the female line. It went through Cecily Neville, then through Everild Maltby, and then through her daughter Frances. This helped confirm that the bones were indeed King Richard III's!
Later Life and Legacy
Sir George Wentworth passed away when he was 60 years old. He was buried at the church of St Peter in Woolley. There is a special memorial for him in the Wentworth Chapel at the church.
