FLETCHER, Richard II (d.c.1607), of Derby.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1589

Family and Education

Offices Held

Biography

The more likely of two namesakes to have been the 1589 MP is a mercer whose memorial in All Saints, Derby, describes him as ‘thrice bailiff of Derby’ and gives his date of death as 13 Jan. 1606 (i.e. 1606/7). He m. (1) 9 Oct. 1564, Emmot Draper, wid. (d. 3 June 1570), 1da. (d. 31 May 1570); (2) Rachel (d. 7 May 1602), da. of Richard—of Spondon, 1s. 3da. As men of this name held the office of bailiff thrice only during Elizabeth’s reign, this virtually establishes the claim of the mercer as being of sufficient standing to be the MP over the other possible candidate, a butcher.

Apart from the occurrence of his name on a few deeds, little is known about Fletcher. He made his will 30 Dec. 1606 and it was proved the following 6 May. He wished to be buried in All Saints church near his wife Rachel, and left the poor of Derby £6 13s.4d. After a number of bequests to relatives and servants, the residue went to his son, also Richard, who was named executor.

W. Phillimore, Derbys. Par. Reg. ix. 5; S. Glover, Derbys, ii(1), p. 470; Derby Recs. deeds 10069, 10084; PCC 37 Huddleston.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: M.R.P.

Notes