Richard Onslow (Solicitor General) facts for kids
Richard Onslow (born 1528 – died 1571) was an important English lawyer and politician. He lived in the 1500s during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He became the Solicitor General, a top legal advisor, and also served as the Speaker of the House of Commons of England. He was born in Shrewsbury.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Onslow was born in 1528 in Shrewsbury. His father was Roger Onslow. Richard started his legal training in 1545 at a famous law school called the Inner Temple. At one point, he was briefly removed from the school. This happened in 1556 because he was involved in a fight. However, he apologized and spent some time in Fleet Prison, a well-known jail. After this, he was allowed back into the Inner Temple.
By 1559, he became a "Bencher." This meant he had the power to allow new lawyers to practice. He also served as a Governor of the Inner Temple from 1564 to 1566. In 1563, he became the Recorder of London. This was a senior legal position in the city.
Political Career
Richard Onslow was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) several times. From 1557 to 1558, and again from 1562 until his death in 1571, he represented Steyning. This was a small town in Sussex. In 1559, he was also elected as an MP for Aldborough in north Yorkshire.
Onslow had strong religious beliefs. He supported the Puritan group, who wanted to make the Church of England simpler. The Spanish ambassador, who was a Catholic, even called him a "furious heretic" because of his strong Protestant views.
Becoming Speaker of the House of Commons
In 1566, Richard Onslow was chosen to be the Solicitor General. This was a very important legal job for the Queen. Later that same year, the Speaker of the House of Commons passed away. The Queen's advisors, called the Privy Council, chose Onslow to take his place.
At that time, the Queen usually picked who would be Speaker. Even though the House of Commons was supposed to choose freely, the Queen's choice was usually accepted. Onslow was the Queen's choice, but some people in the Commons disagreed. This was the only time during Queen Elizabeth's reign that the royal candidate for Speaker faced opposition.
It was a tradition for the person chosen as Speaker to pretend to not want the job. Onslow followed this tradition. He argued that being Solicitor General for the Queen and being an independent Speaker were not compatible. This gave his critics a reason to oppose him. However, after a vote, he was approved by 82 votes to 70. He officially became Speaker on October 2, 1566. He served as Speaker until the Parliament ended in January 1567.
Later Life and Legacy
Richard Onslow may have written a book called Arguments Related to the Sea Landes and Salt Shores. This book would have been about laws related to coastal lands.
He married Catherine Harding. They had two sons and five daughters. One of his sons, Edward, was an ancestor of the Earls of Onslow, a noble family. His daughter Cicely married Sir Humphrey Winch.
Richard Onslow died in April 1571 from a serious illness, likely a type of 'pestilential fever'. He passed away at Harnage, near Shrewsbury, after visiting a relative in the town. He was buried in the old St Chad's Church in Shrewsbury. A special monument was built there to remember him. In 1742, his descendant, Arthur Onslow, who was also a Speaker, had the monument restored. When the church fell down in 1788, the monument was moved to the Abbey Church in Shrewsbury, where it can still be seen today.
