Sir Anthony Ashley, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Anthony Ashley
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| Born | 1551 |
| Died | 13 January 1628 |
| Title | 1st Baronet of Wimborne St Giles |
| Tenure | 3 July 1622 – 13 January 1628 |
| Residence | Ashley Manor |
| Locality | Wimborne St Giles |
| Wars and battles | Capture of Cádiz Drake–Norris Expedition |
| Offices | Clerk of the Privy Council |
| Spouse(s) | Jane Okeover (1592–1620) Philippa Sheldon (1622–1628) |
| Issue | Anne Elizabeth Ashley (1593–1628) |
| Parents | Anthony Ashley of Damerham Dorothy Lyte of Lytes Cary |
Sir Anthony Ashley, 1st Baronet (1551 – 13 January 1628) was an important government official in England. He served as the Clerk of the Privy Council. This was a very senior role, like being a top civil servant for the King or Queen.
Sir Anthony Ashley was known for his bravery during the capture of Cádiz. He was even knighted by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex for his actions there. He also served in the English Parliament and was highly favored by Queen Elizabeth I of England.
Sir Anthony was the older brother of Robert Ashley, who founded the Middle Temple Library. He was also the uncle of Sir Francis Ashley. Sir Anthony inherited the family lands at Wimborne St Giles after his cousin, Sir Henry Ashley III, passed away.
Contents
The Ashley Family Story
The Ashley family first came from Wiltshire, England. They were important landowners there a very long time ago. The family name "Ashley" comes from the name of their ancient home in Wiltshire.
One of the earliest known Ashleys was Benedict of Ashley, born around 1260. Many years later, Robert Ashley became the first family member to live in Wimborne St Giles. He greatly increased his family's wealth and land when he married Egidia Hamelyn.
Robert Ashley's descendants continued to grow their family's importance.
- Sir Henry Ashley I had two sons, Henry II and Anthony of Damerham.
- Sir Henry Ashley II was knighted by Queen Mary. He was also in charge of Alice Holt Forest.
- Sir Henry Ashley III worked for Queen Elizabeth. He passed away without children. Because of this, the family lands went to his cousin, Sir Anthony Ashley of Wimborne St Giles.
Sir Anthony Ashley of Wimborne St Giles was the son of Anthony Ashley of Damerham and Dorothy Lyte. Dorothy was the sister of the famous plant expert, Henry Lyte.
Sir Anthony's Public Service
Sir Anthony Ashley wasn't born expecting to inherit a lot of land. Instead, he focused on working for the government. He spent many years serving the Queen and helping the country.
He was the Clerk of the Privy Council from 1584 to 1609. He also served as a Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Tavistock in 1588. In 1589, he joined the Drake–Norris Expedition against Portugal. He was a Royal Commissioner on this trip.
In 1592, he received a special Master of Arts degree from Oxford University. This happened when the Queen visited the university.
The Capture of Cádiz
Sir Anthony Ashley was the Secretary of War for the important Capture of Cádiz. In June 1596, he was knighted for his role in the expedition.
Queen Elizabeth valued Sir Anthony's advice. In April 1596, Spanish forces captured the town of Calais. This gave Spain a good place to plan an invasion of England. To stop this, Queen Elizabeth ordered an attack on the Spanish fleet in Cádiz.
On June 13, 1596, the English fleet sailed from Plymouth to Cádiz. The fleet was led by Charles Howard, and the landing troops were led by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. Sir Anthony Ashley went with the fleet as the Queen's representative. He kept records of all the important meetings and decisions. Sir Anthony showed great courage during the capture of Cádiz. He was knighted by the Earl of Essex after the city was taken.
Some people mistakenly thought Sir Anthony Ashley was "Secretary to the Council of War." This job didn't exist then. However, he did serve as Secretary to the Privy Council later, during the time of King James I.
Challenges and Later Life
After returning from Cádiz, Sir Anthony faced some difficulties. He was accused of wrongdoing related to goods captured from the enemy. He was held for a time and lived in some disgrace.
Marriages and Family
Sir Anthony Ashley was married two times. His first wife was Jane Okeover. They married around 1592 and had a daughter named Anne Ashley.
Around 1620, Sir Anthony's daughter, Anne, married John Cooper. Since Anne was Sir Anthony's only child, the Ashley family lands at Wimborne St Giles went to the Cooper family through this marriage. Sir Anthony had a special agreement: if the family ever received a noble title, it would be the "Ashley" title.
Sir John and Anne (Ashley) Cooper became the parents of a famous statesman, Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper. He was later known as the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury.
Later in his life, Sir Anthony Ashley became a generous helper to his local area. He helped rebuild the parish church. He also built homes for eleven senior citizens. He even brought the idea of growing cabbages from Holland to England!
In 1622, Sir Anthony married Philippa Sheldon. She was 19 years old. Philippa's sister was married to Christopher Villiers, the Earl of Anglesey. This marriage helped Sir Anthony form a strong connection with a very powerful man in the King's court.
Becoming a Baronet
On July 3, 1622, King James I made Sir Anthony Ashley the 1st Baronet of Wimborne St Giles. A Baronet is a special title, like a hereditary knighthood.
Sir Anthony was very interested in his grandson, Anthony Ashley-Cooper. He arranged for his grandson to have the special hyphenated name, Anthony Ashley-Cooper. This was unusual at the time.
Sir Anthony Ashley passed away in London in January 1628, at 76 years old. He is buried at Wimborne St Giles Church, the church he helped rebuild. His tomb has a kneeling figure of his daughter Anne, who was the mother of Sir Anthony Ashley-Cooper.
After Sir Anthony died, his wife Philippa married Carew Raleigh, who was the son of Sir Walter Raleigh. His daughter Anne inherited the family estates, which then passed to her husband, Sir John Cooper. His grandson, Anthony Ashley-Cooper, was seven years old when Sir Anthony died.
Images for kids
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St Giles House, a historic home connected to the Ashley family.
