Richard Ottley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Ottley
Richard Ottley, aged 10, from a family portrait, now in Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery
Deputy Lieutenant of Shropshire
In office 3 September 1660 – 1670
Member of Parliament for Shropshire
In office 1661–1670
Monarch	Charles II
Personal details
Born	5 August 1626 Pitchford Hall, Shropshire
Died	10 August 1670
Spouse	Lettice Ridgeway
Children	7, including Adam
Parents	Sir Francis Ottley Lucy Edwards
Relatives	Sir Thomas Wolryche, 1st Baronet (uncle) John Wolryche (cousin)
Profession	Politician, soldier

Sir Richard Ottley (born 1626 – died 1670) was an English politician and soldier. He was a supporter of the King (a Royalist) during the English Civil War. After the King returned to power (the Restoration), Richard Ottley helped to control those who had supported Parliament. He also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Shropshire.

Early Life and Family Background

Richard Otley pictured, aged ten, with his parents, Sir Francis and Lucy Ottley, and his sister, Mary. An engraving made c.1825 after an oil painting of 1636 by Petrus Troueil, now owned by the Shrewsbury Museums Service.

Pitchford Hall, Shropshire, home of the Royalist Ottley family in the 17th century. Pictured in 1901

Pitchford Hall, photographed 2005.

Richard Ottley was born on August 5, 1626. He was the oldest son of Sir Francis Ottley and Lucy Edwards. His father, Sir Francis, was a military governor of Shrewsbury during the Civil War. His mother, Lucy, was from Shrewsbury.

The Ottley family was part of the landed gentry in Shropshire. This means they were wealthy landowners. They owned Pitchford Hall, a large estate. Their family wealth came from being successful merchants in Shrewsbury. This town was important for finishing Welsh cloth.

Richard had a younger brother, Adam, and a sister, Mary. He went to Shrewsbury School in 1638. However, his studies stopped when the Civil War began in 1642.

The English Civil War

The English Civil War was a conflict between the King's supporters (Royalists or Cavaliers) and Parliament's supporters (Parliamentarians or Roundheads).

Ottley's Role as a Royalist Soldier

Richard's father, Sir Francis Ottley, quickly helped the King's side in Shropshire. Richard became a captain in the Royalist army. He served under his father in the Shrewsbury garrison. A garrison is a group of soldiers defending a town.

Sir Francis was the military governor of Shrewsbury from 1643 to 1644. He was later captured by Parliament's forces in 1645. Richard was at the siege of Bridgnorth in 1646. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and capture it.

Dealing with Parliament After the War

After the Royalists lost the war, Parliament took control of the Ottley family's estates. This was called sequestration. Richard and his family had to negotiate with Parliament to get their property back. This process was called "compounding for delinquency." It meant paying a fine to show loyalty to Parliament.

Richard spent a lot of time in London dealing with these matters. He was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1647 to study law. His brother Adam also joined Gray's Inn.

In 1649, Richard married Lady Lettice Ridgeway. Their first child was born in October of that year. Richard's father died in September 1649, making Richard the heir. In 1650, Richard took an oath of loyalty to the Commonwealth. This was the new government without a King or House of Lords. This allowed him to travel and manage his estates.

By January 1651, all fines and penalties on the Ottley estates were cleared. Richard mostly stayed out of public life during the rule of Oliver Cromwell. He did not join any plots against Cromwell.

Restoration and Public Service

Francis Lord Newport, the Lord Lieutenant, was responsible for removing Presbyterians from public office after the Restoration.

Thomas Jones, the town clerk of Shrewsbury. He was a Presbyterian who was seen as a threat by Newport and Ottley.

In 1660, Charles II returned to England and became King. This event is known as the Restoration. Richard Ottley became active in public life again.

New Roles and Responsibilities

• He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Shropshire in March 1660. A Justice of the Peace helps keep law and order in a local area.
• He was knighted shortly after the King's return.
• He became a Deputy Lieutenant of Shropshire in September 1660. This role involved helping the Lord Lieutenant manage the county's military forces.
• He was made captain of a cavalry troop in the county militia.

Controlling Parliament Supporters

After the Restoration, the new government wanted to remove people who had supported Parliament. Richard Ottley played a key role in this.

• He helped disarm people seen as disloyal to the King.
• He was involved in arresting "dangerous persons," especially those who were Nonconformists. These were Protestants who did not follow the Church of England.
• He worked with Francis Lord Newport, the Lord Lieutenant of Shropshire. Newport sometimes thought Ottley was too lenient.
• In 1661, Richard Ottley and Sir Francis Lawley were elected as Members of Parliament for Shropshire.
• They worked to remove Presbyterians and other Nonconformists from public office in Shrewsbury. Richard's brother, Adam Ottley, became the town clerk of Shrewsbury.

Member of the Cavalier Parliament

Richard Ottley was a very active Member of Parliament (MP) in the Cavalier Parliament. This Parliament was named "Cavalier" because most of its members supported the King.

Parliamentary Work

• He was a member of many committees, over 230 in total.
• Much of his work focused on laws against religious dissenters. He helped pass the Act of Uniformity 1662 and the Conventicle Act 1664. These laws aimed to make everyone follow the Church of England.
• He was appointed a Gentleman of the Privy chamber in 1663. This was a position of honor close to the King.
• He also investigated issues like the sale of Dunkirk and the fund for Royalist officers who had lost money in the Civil War.

Financial Challenges

Richard Ottley was given commissions to collect taxes in Shropshire. He worked with his friend Richard Scriven.

• They collected the hearth tax, a tax on properties.
• They also managed the county's excise tax, a tax on goods.

However, they faced problems. Their hearth tax collection was stopped in 1667, and they owed money. They tried to collect the outstanding amounts, but this caused public unrest. Richard Ottley's debts were forgiven shortly before he died in 1670.

Marriage and Family Life

Richard Ottley was married to Lady Lettice Ridgeway. She was the daughter of Robert Ridgeway, the 2nd Earl of Londonderry.

Richard and Lettice had seven children:

• Francis (born 1649, died 1652)
• Thomas (baptized 1651), who became Sir Richard's heir.
• Richard (baptized 1652, died 1654)
• Adam (baptized 1655), who later became a Bishop.
• Robert (baptized 1655)
• Lucy (baptized 1657, died 1687)
• Francis (baptized 1660)

Lady Lettice Ottley died in 1669. Sir Richard Ottley died on August 10, 1670, at the age of 44. Both were buried at Pitchford.

Family Tree