John Duckett (Royalist) facts for kids

John Duckett (born September 13, 1580 – died October 27, 1648) was an English gentleman and landowner. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, from 1621 to 1624.

Early Life and Education

John Duckett was the second son of Stephen Duckett. His father was also a gentleman from Wiltshire, a county in England. Stephen was also part of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, which was a powerful trade group in London.

John started studying at Brasenose College, Oxford, a famous university, on December 15, 1592. He was 12 years old at the time.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1621, John Duckett was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Calne. Calne was known as a "rotten borough." This meant it was a place with very few voters but still had the right to elect an MP.

His family had a lot of control over the elections in Calne. His father had also been an MP for Calne in earlier years. John was elected again for Calne in 1624.

Later, when King Charles I was crowned, John was fined. This was because he refused to accept a knighthood, which is a special title given by the King. In 1628, he became the High Sheriff of Wiltshire. This was an important local government job.

The English Civil War

During the English Civil War, John Duckett was a Royalist colonel. This means he was a high-ranking officer who supported the King against Parliament.

He lived at Calstone House, near Calne. Sadly, this house was destroyed by fire during the war. After that, he moved to another property called Hartham House, near Corsham.

There's a story that he once escaped from Calstone. He hid in a hearse, which is a vehicle used to carry coffins. This helped him get away from the soldiers who supported Parliament.

Family and Legacy

John Duckett inherited land in Somerset from his father. In 1609, he also inherited most of his father's lands in Wiltshire and Dorset. This happened after his older brother, Lionel, passed away without getting married.

John Duckett was married twice. His first wife was Elizabeth Elkington, who was the widow of Thomas Chivers. On April 6, 1619, he married Jane Winter in Gloucester. She was the daughter of William Winter.

John and Jane had two children:

• William Duckett (1624–1686) was their son. Like his father, William also became a Member of Parliament for Calne.
• Stephen Duckett (1626–1626)

The Duckett family continued to be important. William's descendant, George Duckett (1684–1732), was the last male in his direct family line. However, George's daughter, Grace, married George Jackson. In 1791, George Jackson was given the title of Baronet and changed his name to Sir George Duckett, 1st Baronet. This kept the Duckett name going.

John Duckett was buried on October 27, 1648, in Calne. He was 68 years old when he passed away.