Family and Education

b. c.1565, 1st s. of Robert Needham of Shavington by Frances, da. of Sir Edward Aston of Tixall. educ. Shrewsbury 1577; St. John’s, Camb. 1582; I. Temple 1583. m. (1) Jane (d.1591), da. of John Lacy of Borston, Som., 1s.; (2) Anne Doyley, wid. of one Wilmott; (3) aft. 1627, Catherine (d.1628), da. of John Robinson of London, wid. of George Huxley; (4) Dorothy, da. of Humphrey Smith of London, wid. of Sir John Pakington. Kntd. 1594; suc. fa. 1603. cr. Visct. Kilmorey [I] 1625.

Offices Held

J.p. Salop by 1596, dep. Lt. 1600, sheriff 1606-7; member, council in marches of Wales 1609, vice-pres. 1614.

Biography

As a young man, Needham held several commands in Ireland, where he was knighted by the lord deputy. If he was back in time for the 1593 Parliament Needham would, as a knight of the shire, have been entitled to attend committees on the subsidy (26 Feb.) and springing uses and perpetuities (9 Mar.). He was certainly in England in 1596, claiming a reimbursement of £75 from the government: he received £30 two years later. In Shropshire he was employed in such matters as endeavouring to prevent excessive brewing and ‘tippling and disorderly drinking’ in two alehouses in Market Drayton, and in searching for Jesuits and seminary priests. He remained active in local affairs all his life, and obtained an Irish peerage from Charles I. He died in 1631, and was buried at Adderley.

Vis. Salop (Harl. Soc. xxix), 372; Trans. Salop Arch. Soc. (ser. 4), xi. 156; CP, vii. 260; APC, xxvi. 335; xxx. 399; H. O. Harrod, Hist. Shavington, 22-49; D’Ewes, 474, 496.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: J.J.C.

Notes