Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Ashby facts for kids
Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Ashby (born 1625 – died 17 October 1669) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's Parliament, at different times between 1645 and 1660.
William Wray was the son of Sir Christopher Wray from Ashby, a place in Lincolnshire. His mother was Albinia Cecil. His grandfather was Sir William Wray, 1st Baronet, of Glentworth. In 1638, he joined Lincoln's Inn, a famous place where people studied law.
Early Life and Politics
During the English Civil War, William's father led a group of soldiers for the Parliamentarian army. William might have been a captain in this army. When his father passed away in 1645, William inherited the family lands in Ashby.
Later that year, while he was traveling, William was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Great Grimsby. An MP is a person elected to represent their area in the government. He was elected to the Long Parliament.
Later Political Career
William Wray was chosen as an MP for Grimsby several more times. He served in the First Protectorate Parliament in 1654. In the same year, he became a deputy governor of Beaumaris Castle. He was also an MP for Grimsby in the Second Protectorate Parliament in 1656 and the Third Protectorate Parliament in 1659.
In April 1660, William was elected for Grimsby again, this time for the Convention Parliament. By this time, he was seen as a supporter of the King. On June 6, 1660, he was knighted, which means he was given the title "Sir." Later that month, on June 27, 1660, he was made a baronet of Ashby. This was a special honor, making him the "1st Baronet." He had a large estate that was worth a lot of money. Sir William Wray passed away at the age of 43 and was buried in Ashby.
Family Life
Sir William Wray married Olympia Tufton around 1652. Olympia was the daughter of Sir Humfrey Tufton, 1st Baronet. William and Olympia had three sons and five daughters. Their son, Christopher, became the 2nd Baronet of Ashby after his father's death. Christopher also inherited another baronet title, becoming the 6th Baronet of Glentworth, after Sir Bethell Wray passed away without sons in 1672.
