Sir Henry Pickering, 2nd Baronet facts for kids

Sir Henry Pickering, 2nd Baronet (born around 1656 – died May 7, 1705) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of the government, from 1685 to 1689. Later, he moved to the island of Barbados and became a key figure in its government.

Early Life and Family Connections

Sir Henry Pickering was the son of Sir Henry Pickering, 1st Baronet. His mother was Elizabeth Viner. Her father was Sir Thomas Viner, 1st Baronet.

Henry inherited his family's estate in Whaddon, Cambridgeshire, when his father passed away in 1668.

Education and Learning

He went to Queens' College, Cambridge in 1672. This is a famous university in England. After that, he studied law at the Inner Temple in 1674. The Inner Temple is one of the places where people train to become lawyers.

A Career in Politics

Sir Henry Pickering had many important jobs in government. He was involved in both local and national politics.

Roles in England

In 1683, he became the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire. A High Sheriff was a very important local official. They were in charge of keeping the peace and making sure laws were followed.

From 1685 until he died, he was also a deputy lieutenant for Cambridgeshire. This role involved helping to organize the local military forces.

Serving in Parliament

Sir Henry was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Morpeth in 1685. An MP is someone elected by people to represent them in the House of Commons. He served in this role until 1689.

Later, he was elected as an MP again. This time, he represented Cambridge from 1698 until his death in 1705.

Life and Politics in Barbados

Sir Henry Pickering eventually moved to the island of Barbados. There, he continued his political work.

He became a member of the Barbados assembly from 1693 to 1694. The assembly was a group of people who helped make laws for the island. He also joined the Barbados council in 1705, serving until his death.

Family and Later Years

Sir Henry Pickering was married two times. His first wife was Philadelphia, the daughter of Sir George Downing, 1st Baronet. They had three daughters together.

His second wife was Grace Sylvester. She was from Barbados. Sir Henry died in Barbados in 1705. He was buried back in Whaddon, England. His wife sold the Whaddon estate in 1716.