Henry Firebrace facts for kids

Sir Henry Firebrace (born around 1619, died 1691) was a loyal helper to King Charles I. He served the king during the difficult times of the English Civil Wars, when the king was fighting against Parliament. Later, he also worked for King Charles II and was made a knight around 1685.

Growing Up

The Firebrace family is thought to have come from Normandy, a region in France. Their name might mean "strong arm" or perhaps it was a compliment for someone brave in battle. We don't know exactly when they came to England.

Henry Firebrace was born in Derbyshire around 1619 or 1620. He was the sixth son of Robert Firebrace and Susan Jerome.

School and Early Work

Henry went to Repton School until he was about 14 years old. Soon after, his family moved to London. There, Henry became an apprentice to a scrivener, someone who copied documents.

In 1643, he became a secretary for a war council led by Basil Feilding, 2nd Earl of Denbigh.

Helping King Charles I

Even though Henry worked for the Earl of Denbigh, who supported Parliament (the "Roundheads"), Henry's true loyalty was to the king. He later said he helped King Charles I during a meeting in 1645.

A Secret Helper

In 1647, the Scottish army handed King Charles I over to the English Parliament. The king's old servants were sent away. Henry Firebrace found a way to be appointed as one of the king's personal attendants. This was at the king's own request!

While he was supposed to be guarding the king, Henry was secretly helping him. He acted as a double agent. This meant he helped the king send secret messages and even planned for the king to escape. In November 1647, while guarding Charles at Hampton Court, Henry allowed the king to get away.

More Escape Plans

In 1648, King Charles was held prisoner on the Isle of Wight. Henry Firebrace was still trusted by Parliament's forces. He kept helping the king send secret messages and worked on more escape plans.

However, none of his plans worked. Eventually, Henry sadly advised the king to "take a boat and commit yourself to the mercy of the seas." This meant he thought the king should try to escape by sea and trust in God. But King Charles did not follow this advice.

The King's Last Moments

Henry Firebrace was one of the few people with the king when he was executed on January 30, 1649. After this sad event, Henry went back to work for the Earl of Denbigh. The Earl was now part of the new government after the Civil War. Henry lived in Stoke Golding, Warwickshire, for the next nine years.

Working for King Charles II

When the monarchy was brought back in 1660 (this was called the English Restoration), Henry Firebrace wanted to work for the new king, Charles II. King Charles I had once praised Henry as "very faithful and serviceable" during his hardest times.

Henry was given a job as a Third Clerk in the royal kitchen department. He was promoted to Second Clerk in 1661 and Chief Clerk in 1667. By 1685, he became Clerk Comptroller, and in 1688, he was made Clerk. For his loyal service, he was made a knight before April 2, 1685. He retired around 1688 when he was about 69 years old.

Later Life and Family

Henry Firebrace was married three times. In 1645, he married Elizabeth Dowell from Stoke Golding. They had five children, and four of them lived past infancy. Their second son, Basil, later became the first of the Firebrace baronets. Henry's daughter Hester married Basil Feilding, 4th Earl of Denbigh.

Elizabeth died in 1659. In 1664, Henry married Alice Bagnall. In 1685, he married Mary Sergeant. Only his first marriage with Elizabeth produced children who are known.

Henry Firebrace died on January 27, 1691, and is buried in Stoke Golding. He had become quite wealthy. The local church still has some valuable communion plates that he gave them. There is also a marble monument there in his honor.

The famous poet W. H. Auden was a distant relative of Henry Firebrace.

See also

• Firebrace baronets
• William Levett