Griffith Bodwrda facts for kids

Griffith Bodwrda (born 1621, died 1677) was an important Welsh politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a big meeting place where people make laws for the country. He served there several times between 1656 and 1660.

Early Life and Important Jobs

Griffith Bodwrda was the son of Hugh Bodwrda, who lived in Bodwrda, Carnarvonshire, Wales. Before 1646, Griffith had some interesting jobs.

Managing Licenses and Records

One of his jobs was in the Wine Licence Office. This meant he helped manage the official permits needed to sell wine. This job brought in a good income of £300 each year. He was also a "Receiver of the First Fruits," which meant he collected certain taxes for the church. This role added another £200 to his yearly income. By 1656, he became the "Keeper of the Records of the Court of Common Pleas." In this role, he was responsible for looking after important legal documents and records.

Political Career

Griffith Bodwrda became a Member of Parliament (MP), which is a person elected to represent an area in the House of Commons.

Serving in Parliament

In 1656, Bodwrda was chosen to be the MP for Anglesey. He served in a special government called the Second Protectorate Parliament. A few years later, in 1659, he was elected again. This time, he became the MP for Beaumaris in the Third Protectorate Parliament.

After the Protectorate

In 1660, Griffith Bodwrda was re-elected as the MP for Beaumaris. This was for the Convention Parliament, which was a very important meeting that helped bring King Charles II back to the throne.

Royal Duties

After the King returned, Bodwrda was given some important tasks. In October 1660, King Charles II asked him to help with taking apart parts of Carnarvon Castle. Later, in 1666, a terrible event called the Great Fire of London happened. Many people lost their homes. Griffith Bodwrda was given the job of helping to protect and care for these people who had moved to Islington for safety.