List of MPs elected to the English Parliament in 1689 facts for kids
Imagine a time when England was going through big changes! The Convention Parliament of 1689 was a very important meeting of people chosen to represent different parts of England, Scotland, and Ireland. These representatives are called members of Parliament (MPs). Their main job was to decide who should be the new King and Queen.
This special Parliament met on January 22, 1689, and finished its work on February 23, 1690. The person in charge of the meetings, like a chairperson, was named Henry Powle.
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What was the Convention Parliament?
This wasn't a regular Parliament. It was called a "Convention" because it wasn't officially started by the King. Instead, it was called together by important leaders after King James II left the country. Its big task was to figure out who should rule next.
The Big Decision: New Rulers
The most important thing this Parliament did was to decide that King James II would no longer be king. Instead, they offered the crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland to William III and Mary II. This event is a huge part of British history, often called the Glorious Revolution.
Who were the Members of Parliament?
The members of this Parliament were elected from different areas, called constituencies, across England and Wales. Each constituency sent one or two MPs to represent their local people.
How MPs Were Chosen
People in each area voted for who they wanted to represent them. These chosen MPs then traveled to London to attend Parliament. Their job was to speak for the people and help make important decisions for the country.
Changes During the Parliament
Sometimes, an MP might leave their job during the Parliament. This could happen if they passed away, or if their election was found to be unfair (called "declared void"). When this happened, a new election would be held for that spot, or another person would take their place. For example, Sir Christopher Wren, a famous architect, was elected for Windsor, but his election was later cancelled.
List of Constituencies and Members
Here is a small part of the list showing some of the areas and the MPs who represented them. The full list is very long, but this gives you an idea of how it was organized.
Bedfordshire |
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| Constituency | Members | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bedfordshire | Hon. Edward Russell William Duncombe |
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| Bedford | Thomas Hillersden Thomas Christie |
|
Berkshire |
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| Constituency | Members | Notes |
| Berkshire | Lord Norreys Sir Henry Winchcombe, Bt. |
|
| Windsor | Henry Powle Sir Christopher Wren |
Wren's election was cancelled. He was replaced in May 1689 by Sir Algernon May. |
| Reading | Sir Henry Fane Sir William Rich, Bt |
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| Wallingford | Sir Thomas Tipping, Bt William Jennens |
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| Abingdon | Thomas Medlycott | Election cancelled. Medlycott was replaced in May 1689 by John Southby. |
Buckinghamshire |
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| Constituency | Members | Notes |
| Buckinghamshire | Thomas Lee Hon. Thomas Wharton |
|
| Buckingham | Sir Richard Temple, Bt Sir Ralph Verney, Bt |
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| Wycombe | Thomas Lewes William Jephson |
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| Amersham | Sir William Drake Edmund Waller |
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| Aylesbury | Thomas Lee Richard Beke |
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| Great Marlow | Sir John Borlase, Bt Viscount Falkland |
Borlase passed away and was replaced in February 1689 by John Hoby. Hoby then passed away and was replaced in December 1689 by Sir William Whitlock. |
| Wendover | Richard Hampden John Hampden |
|
Cambridgeshire |
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| Constituency | Members | Notes |
| Cambridgeshire | Levinus Bennet Sir Robert Cotton |
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| Cambridge | John Cotton Sir Thomas Chicheley |
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| Cambridge University | Robert Sawyer Isaac Newton |
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See also
- List of MPs elected to the English parliament in 1597
- The Golden Speech
