Sir Job Charlton, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir Job Charlton (born around 1614 – died May 26, 1697) was an important English judge and politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's Parliament, from 1659 to 1679. For a short time in 1673, he was even the Speaker of the House of Commons. This means he was in charge of leading the meetings and debates in Parliament. He was also the 1st Baronet of Ludford, which was a special title given by the King.
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Early Life and Education
Sir Job Charlton was born in London. He was the only son of Robert Charlton, who was a goldsmith (someone who works with gold) in London. His mother was Emma Harby.
When he was 17, in 1632, he started studying at Magdalen Hall, Oxford, which is part of Oxford University. After that, he went to Lincoln's Inn in 1633 to study law. By 1640, he had finished his law studies and became a lawyer, which is called being "called to the bar."
A Career in Politics and Law
Sir Job Charlton had a long and busy career in both law and politics.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
In 1659, Charlton was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for the town of Ludlow. He was elected again in 1660 to another Parliament called the Convention Parliament.
Working as a Judge
Besides being a politician, Charlton also worked as a judge. In July 1660, he became a judge for the Oxford circuit, which meant he traveled to different towns to hear court cases. In October 1660, he was given the special title of "serjeant-at-law," which was a very senior lawyer.
He was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for Ludlow in 1661. From 1661 to 1662, he also served as a judge for the Chester circuit. In 1668, he became a "King's Serjeant," an even higher legal position, working directly for the King.
Speaker of the House of Commons
From February 4 to February 18, 1673, Sir Job Charlton served as the Speaker. This was a very important job, as the Speaker leads all the discussions and makes sure rules are followed in Parliament. He stepped down from this role after only two weeks because he said he was not feeling well.
Later Career and Challenges
Charlton left Parliament in 1679. In 1680, he was asked to leave his job as Chief Justice of Chester because another powerful judge, Judge Jeffreys, wanted the position. Instead, Charlton was given a job in the Court of Common Pleas, another important court.
However, he faced another challenge when he disagreed with the King's power to make certain laws without Parliament's approval. Because of this, he was removed from his job in the Court of Common Pleas in April 1680. But he was later given back his old job as Chief Justice of Chester in 1686. On May 12 of that year, he was also given the title of Baronet.
Sir Job Charlton passed away at his home in Ludford on May 29, 1697.
Family Life
Sir Job Charlton was a direct descendant of King Edward I and was also a cousin to Catherine Parr, who was one of King Henry VIII's wives.
He was married twice.
First Marriage
His first wife was Dorothy Blunden, whom he married on March 31, 1645. They had four sons and three daughters together, including:
- Sir Francis Charlton, who became the 2nd Baronet after his father.
- Jane Charlton, who married Thomas Hanmer.
- Dorothy Charlton, who married Sir Edward Leighton.
- Mary Charlton, who married a Mr. Burrell.
Second Marriage
After Dorothy passed away in 1658, Sir Job Charlton married Lettice Waring on November 12, 1663. Lettice was a cousin of his first wife. They had one son and one daughter:
- Gilbert Charlton
- Emma Charlton, who first married Thomas Cornwallis and had five children. Later, she married John Robinson, who became a Bishop of London.
The special title of Baronet in the Charlton family ended in 1784 with the fourth person to hold the title.
