Sir Edward Hales, 1st Baronet facts for kids

Sir Edward Hales, 1st Baronet (born 1576, died 1654) was an important English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, for many years between 1605 and 1648. During the English Civil War, he supported the Parliamentarian side, who were against the King.

Early Life and Family Connections

Edward Hales was born in 1576. His father was William Hales from Tenterden, a town in Kent, England. His mother was Elizabeth Johnson, whose father, Paul Johnson, was from Fordwich. Edward's family had roots in Kent.

Sir Edward's Political Journey

Sir Edward Hales had a busy career in politics. In 1605, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hastings. He was elected again for Hastings in 1614. An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the House of Commons.

In 1608, he was given the important job of High Sheriff of Kent. This role involved keeping law and order in the county. On June 29, 1611, King James I made him a baronet. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in the family.

Serving in Parliament

Sir Edward Hales continued his work in Parliament. In 1625, he was elected as an MP for Queenborough. He served for one term. The next year, in 1626, he became an MP for Kent.

He was re-elected for Queenborough in April 1640 for a short time, known as the Short Parliament. Later that year, in November 1640, he was elected again for the Long Parliament. He held this seat until 1648. At that time, he was removed from Parliament during an event called Pride's Purge.

Sir Edward Hales passed away in 1654 when he was 78 years old.

Marriages and Children

Sir Edward Hales married twice. His first wife was Deborah Harlakenden. She was the daughter of Martin Harlakenden from Woodchurch, Kent. Through this marriage, Edward gained control of the Woodchurch family lands.

His second wife was Martha Cromer. She was the daughter of Sir Matthew Carew and the widow of Sir James Cromer. Through Martha, Edward gained the Tunstall estates in Tunstall, Kent. Martha also inherited a manor called 'Herst Hall' in Murston.

His Successor

Sir Edward and Deborah had a son named Sir John Hales. However, Sir John died before his father. Because of this, Sir Edward was succeeded by his grandson, Sir Edward Hales, 2nd Baronet.

The second Sir Edward Hales was a strong supporter of King Charles I. He even tried to gather an army for the King in Kent. He was also involved in a plan to free the King when he was held prisoner at Carisbrooke Castle. Because of his actions, both Parliament and his grandfather were upset with him. The future second baronet then had to leave England and went to the Netherlands.