John Holcroft (16th-century MP) facts for kids

Sir John Holcroft (died 1560) of Holcroft Hall, Culcheth, was an important soldier, politician, and landowner during the Tudor period in England. He was elected twice to the English parliament to represent Lancashire.

Early Life and Family

We don't know the exact year John Holcroft was born, but it was before 1498. He was the oldest son of John Holcroft, who also lived at Holcroft Hall. This old hall is near Glaze Brook, east of Culcheth. His mother was Margaret Massey from Rixton, a few miles south of Holcroft.

The Holcrofts were a family of minor landed gentry, meaning they owned land but weren't super rich or noble. The Holcroft estate became part of their family after a murder in 1246. The land was divided among four young daughters, who then married four young sons of Hugh de Hindley. Over time, the family living there took the name Holcroft. Sir John Holcroft and his generation were the first in their family to become well-known across the region and even nationally.

John had a younger brother, Sir Thomas Holcroft, who became even wealthier. Thomas made a lot of money by buying land that used to belong to monasteries. Their sister Margaret married James Gerard. She became the mother of Sir Gilbert Gerard, who was an important lawyer during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. By 1519, John Holcroft was married to Anne Standish, whose family was from Standish.

It's a bit tricky to know exactly what John Holcroft did early in his career. This is because his father and his oldest son were both named John! However, we know for sure that John Holcroft was chosen as High Sheriff of Lancashire for 1537–38. This important job showed he was becoming a notable person in the county.

Landowner and Official Duties

John Holcroft likely took over the family estates by 1537, when he first became sheriff. His importance in the local area grew. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Cheshire in 1539 and for Lancashire a year or two later. He served as High Sheriff of Cheshire from 1541–42, and for Lancashire again the next year. He was Cheshire's sheriff a second time in 1546–47.

During these years, Holcroft got involved in his brother's plans to make money from the Dissolution of the monasteries. This was when King Henry VIII closed down monasteries across England. John and his brother Thomas were put in charge of receiving lands from Lenton Priory near Nottingham. This priory was very wealthy. Unlike other large monasteries, Lenton Priory was not simply closed. Instead, its leader and some monks were accused of serious crimes and executed in 1538. The priory was then dissolved, and the Holcrofts took over its property for the King. They likely made a lot of money from this, as Thomas was known for profiting from monastery lands.

After their job at Lenton ended in 1545, John Holcroft was able to buy the land of Upholland Priory in Lancashire for £345. This was a great deal because the priory's property was valued at £78 a year. He could make his money back quickly by managing the land better. After two years, he sold it to a cousin, Sir Robert Worsley. This was part of a deal where Holcroft gained Worsley's land in Pennington, which helped him make his own estate there bigger.

Later, other religious institutions like colleges and chantries were also closed down. This gave the Holcrofts more chances to get rich. In 1546, Thomas and John were chosen as commissioners for chantries in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Chester. Even when Queen Mary became queen and tried to bring back some Catholic practices, the monasteries and colleges were not restored. So, the process of selling their lands continued. In 1554, John was again a commissioner for chantries, this time in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Staffordshire.

Another way to get rich was through "wardships." This meant taking care of young heirs who had lost their parents. In 1539, Holcroft became the guardian of William and Anne Radcliffe. He was mainly interested in arranging good marriages for them to benefit his family. William married Holcroft's own daughter, Anne. William died in 1561, leaving his half-sister Anne as the sole heir to several estates. She was already promised to Holcroft's nephew, Gilbert Gerard, who was a very important lawyer. This added the Radcliffe estates to the growing wealth of the Gerard family.

A Soldier's Role

When Edward VI became king in 1547, Holcroft was called to London for the coronation. There, he was knighted. This meant he received the title "Sir."

It's possible that Holcroft was involved in fighting in 1536. But we know for sure that he was a commissioner for gathering troops in 1547. This was for "The Rough Wooing," a series of campaigns where the English tried to force a marriage between King Edward VI and Mary, Queen of Scots. Holcroft was likely active in these battles. His son, also named John Holcroft, was knighted during this campaign. In 1557, a John Holcroft was put in charge of 100 men. This might have been the younger John.

In Parliament

Holcroft was first elected to Parliament as a "Knight of the Shire" for Lancashire on November 23, 1554. This election was unanimous, meaning everyone agreed. All landowners in the county could vote, but not many people actually did. Elections were held at Lancaster Castle, which was far away for most people.

This Parliament was Queen Mary's third. By this time, John Holcroft was a well-known man in Lancashire. He probably had enough respect and power to get himself elected. He also had strong allies. His brother Thomas, who had been close to the powerful Protector Somerset, was now in favor with Queen Mary. Thomas was also powerful in the Duchy of Lancaster, which was very important for governing Lancashire. Both brothers were also on excellent terms with Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, the most powerful local lord. John even named the Earl of Derby as a mediator in his will. Holcroft was elected second, after Sir Thomas Stanley, the Earl of Derby's son.

Parliament began on November 12. However, John Holcroft was found to be absent in January and was reported to the King's Bench. He was lucky to avoid more trouble because Parliament was dissolved on January 16, 1555.

Holcroft was not elected to the next Parliament in 1555. But he was elected for Lancashire again in January 1558. We don't know if he served the county better this time. The senior member was Sir Thomas Talbot, who was related to the Earls of Shrewsbury. Talbot died on August 1, 1558, leaving Holcroft as the only representative for Lancashire for the last three months of that Parliament.

Death and Legacy

John Holcroft probably knew he was going to die soon, so he made his will on December 2, 1559. Most of his belongings had already been given to his wife and children. He trusted Gilbert Gerard with the documents about this. He left some money to Gerard and to Sir William Gerard, and a gown to Sir Thomas Stanley. To prevent his family from arguing, he promised the Earl of Derby money to act as a mediator if they had disagreements.

Holcroft died sometime in 1560. He was buried at Newchurch, Culcheth, which was the local church where he had bought the right to collect tithes (church taxes) in 1539.

His Family Tree

John Holcroft married Anne Standish. Her parents were Ralph Standish and Alice Harrington. Anne's father, Ralph, was a fairly wealthy landowner with many estates and churches in Lancashire.

John Holcroft and Anne Standish had many children, at least 7 sons and 6 daughters. Here are some of them:

• Sir John Holcroft, their oldest son and heir. He married Dorothy Bold. They had one daughter:
  • Alice Holcroft, who married Edward Fitton. They had several children, including:
    • Mary Fitton
    • Anne Fitton, who married the politician John Newdigate.
    • Richard, who was the heir.
    • Edward, who inherited the estates after his brother died and became the first of the Fitton baronets.

After the second Edward Fitton died in 1643, there were long legal battles over the Fitton estates. The Holcroft estates were later bought by another part of the Holcroft family.

• Hamlet Holcroft, a younger son of John Holcroft and Anne Standish. He married Isabel Clifton. They had a son:
  • John Holcroft, who married Anne Heywood. They had a son:
    • Lt. Col. John Holcroft, who was an important politician in the mid-1600s. He represented Liverpool in Parliament and became a commander for the Roundheads (supporters of Parliament during the English Civil War). He was able to get the Holcroft estates back, probably by buying them from the Fitton family's trustees. He married Margaret Hunt. They had a daughter:
      • Maria Holcroft married Thomas Blood, who famously tried to steal the Crown Jewels in 1671.

• Anne Holcroft, a daughter of John and Anne. She married William Radcliffe, the heir to Winmarleigh, who died in 1561.