Family and Education

bap. 29 Apr. 1645, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Sir Edward Coke, 1st Bt., of Longford by Catherine, da. and coh. of Sir William Dyer of Great Staughton, Hunts. educ. Jesus, Camb. 1662. m. settlement 2 Sept. 1663, Sarah (d.1686), da. and coh. of Thomas Barker of Albrightlee, Salop, s.p. suc. fa. by 1669.1

Offices Held

J.p. Derbys. 1670-d., dep. lt. 1671-d., sheriff 1671-2, commr. for assessment 1673-80, recusants 1675, capt. of militia ft. by 1680-d., commr. for charitable uses 1682.2

Biography

Coke’s grandfather, the sixth son of Sir Edward Coke, married the heiress of Longford. His father, created a baronet in 1641, appears to have aimed at neutrality in the Civil War. He was named to the committee for the midland association in 1642, but was subsequently sequestrated by the county committee. He never compounded, however, and in 1646 was appointed sheriff and assessment commissioner. But he took no further part in local government till 1657, after which he served on taxation commissions till his death. Coke himself was a Tory, who forwarded to the Government in 1683 a charge of dangerous words against George Vernon. He was returned for the county in 1685 with the support of the Duke of Newcastle (Henry Cavendish), but was probably listed among the Opposition. His only committee in James II’s Parliament was on the bill to encourage shipbuilding. He was buried at Longford on 15 Jan. 1688, leaving under his will an endowment for 12 almshouses. His brother, the last of this branch of the family, never entered Parliament.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: E. R. Edwards

Notes

• 1. Vis. Eng. and Wales Notes ed. Crisp. viii. 114.
• 2. J. C. Cox, Three Centuries of Derbys. Annals. i. 40, 173; HMC 7th Rep. 409; Add. 36663, f. 348.
• 3. Cox, Churches of Derbys. iii. 195; Cal. Comm. Comp. 47; CSP Dom. July-Sept. 1683, p. 182; 1685, p. 105.