Family and Education

b. c.1654, 1st s. of Humphrey Orme, and half-bro. of Robert Apreece of Washingley, Hunts. educ. Magdalene, Camb. 1671. m. c. June 1675 (with £3,000) Mary, da. of one Puntens of Covent Garden, Westminster, 6s. (2 d.v.p.) 3da. suc. fa. 1671.1

Offices Held

Ensign, Lord Northampton’s regt. 1673-4; capt. of ft. regt. of William, Lord Alington 1678-9; lt. indep. tp. 1685; capt. Lord Shrewsbury’s Horse 1686; maj. Hamilton’s Horse (later 5 Dgn. Gds.) 1687-Dec. 1688.

J.p. Peterborough 1676-?89, Northants. 1680-9; feoffee for town lands, Peterborough 1683-?d.; commr. for assessment, Northants. 1689.2

Biography

Orme began to mortgage his freeholds soon after he came of age, and it was probably necessity rather than military zeal that inspired his repeated attempts to carve out a career in the army not very consistent with the bookish tastes revealed by the contents of his study. The more valuable part of his property was the manor of Borough Bury, held on short lease from the bishop of Peterborough, and it was probably on this interest that he stood successfully at the second general election of 1679. He left no trace on the records of this Parliament, but doubtless opposed exclusion, for Lord Bath described him as ‘an honest, loyal and very worthy gentleman’. He may have contested the seat again in 1681, when the dean and chapter petitioned against the return, and was successful in 1685. He was appointed to the committee to amend the Bedford Level Act on 11 June, but 11 days later obtained leave ‘to go into the country’. Actually he had accepted a commission in a troop of horse raised by Francis Brudenell, under whom he fought at Sedgemoor. He gave affirmative replies to the lord lieutenant’s questions on the repeal of the Test Act and Penal Laws, and laid down his commission at the Revolution. He was not marked as a Roman Catholic, and probably shared the high Anglican views of his friend George Clarke. He died on 25 Sept. 1691, aged 37, and was buried in Peterborough Cathedral. His debts totalled £1,700, and it seems probable that the lease of Borough Bury had to be sold to provide for his widow’s jointure of £300 p.a. and their numerous family, of whose subsequent history little is known.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: John. P. Ferris

Notes

• 1. Fenland N. and Q. iv. 138-9; C7/251/1.
• 2. Peterborough Local Admin. (Northants. Rec. Soc. x), 246.
• 3. CSP Dom. 1680-1, p. 297; C7/251/1; HMC Popham, 264.