William Godolphin (1547–1589) facts for kids
Sir William Godolphin (born 1547 – died October 1589) was an important English politician from Cornwall. He was a Member of Parliament (MP), which means he was chosen to represent people in the English Parliament.
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Who Was Sir William Godolphin?
Sir William Godolphin came from Treveneage, a place in Cornwall, England. He was born in 1547. His family, the Godolphins, was one of the most important and well-known families in Cornwall during that time.
His Family and Their Roles
Sir William was the younger son of Thomas Godolphin. His father, Thomas, was a "Captain" or governor of the Scilly Isles, a group of islands off the coast of Cornwall. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of these islands. Sir William's mother was Katherine Bonithon.
He also had an older brother named Sir Francis Godolphin. Sir Francis took over the job of governor of the Scilly Isles from their father. He was also a Member of Parliament, just like William. Sir Francis also held a position called "Vice-Warden of the Stannaries". The Stannaries were special courts and laws for tin mining in Cornwall and Devon.
Sir William's Time in Parliament
Sir William Godolphin became a Member of Parliament for a town called Helston. At that time, Helston was known as a "family borough" for the Godolphins. This meant that the Godolphin family had a lot of influence in who was elected from Helston. Sir William served in Parliament during the years 1586 and 1587.
His Later Life and Family
Sir William Godolphin married Jane Gaverigan on December 11, 1587. Sadly, he passed away not long after his marriage, in October 1589.
He had a son named Francis Godolphin. His son Francis also grew up to be a politician and served as a Member of Parliament. Francis represented St Ives in a very important Parliament known as the Long Parliament.
