Sir John Potts, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir John Potts, 1st Baronet (born around 1592, died 1673), was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like the main part of the government where laws are made. He served there from 1640 to 1648 and again in 1660.
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Who Was Sir John Potts?
Sir John Potts was born around 1592. His father was also named John Potts, and his mother was Ann Dodge. He grew up to become an important person in English politics during a very busy time in history.
His Early Political Career
In November 1640, Sir John Potts was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area of Norfolk. This was during a period known as the Long Parliament. An MP is someone elected by the people to represent them in the House of Commons.
Just a short time later, in August 1641, he received two special honors. First, he was knighted, which meant he was given the title "Sir." Second, he was made a baronet. A baronet is a special title that can be passed down through the family, similar to a knight but a bit higher. His baronet title was linked to Mannington in Norfolk.
Supporting Parliament
Even though he received honors from the King, Sir John Potts chose to support the Parliamentarian side. This was during the time leading up to the English Civil War, when there was a big disagreement between the King and Parliament. He continued to serve as an MP until 1648. At that time, he was removed from Parliament during an event called Pride's Purge.
Return to Parliament
After some years, Sir John Potts returned to politics. In 1660, he was again elected as an MP, this time for Great Yarmouth. He served in what was known as the Convention Parliament. This Parliament was important because it helped bring the King back to power after a period of no king in England.
Family Life
Sir John Potts was married twice. His first marriage was to a daughter of Mr. Goodsill. They had three daughters together. Later, he married Ursula Spelman. Ursula was the widow of Sir John Willoughby. Sir John and Ursula had three sons named John, Francis, and Charles, and one daughter named Ursula.
Sir John Potts passed away in 1673. He was buried at Mannington, Norfolk, the place connected to his baronet title.
