Family and Education

b. 1653, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Francis Fleetwood of Rossall Hall, by Mary, da. of Charles Foster of Preesal Park, Lancs.  m. 16 June 1674, Margaret, da. and h. of Edward Fleetwood of Leyland, Lancs., 3s. (1 d.v.p.) 2da.  suc. fa. bef. 1682.1

Offices Held

Freeman, Preston 1662; bailiff, Salford hundred 1709–d.2

Biography

Fleetwood shared a common ancestor with the Fleetwoods of Penwortham, Lancashire, being descended from Thomas Fleetwood (d. 1570) of The Vache, Buckinghamshire, the comptroller of the Mint who purchased Rossall together with the advowson of Poulton-le-Fylde and Bispham in Lancashire, and whose elder brother, John Fleetwood†, acquired Penwortham. Little is known of Richard Fleetwood before he entered Parliament, though in 1693 he was active in taking depositions from Lancashire’s Catholics under the authority of a commission for superstitious uses, and he may perhaps have been the ‘Mr Fleetwood’ talked of as a candidate for the Liverpool mayoralty in October 1702. Fleetwood was incorrectly included on a list as having voted to agree on 13 Feb. 1703 (before he had entered the House) with the Lords’ amendments to the bill for enlarging the time for taking the oath of abjuration. He was returned for Lancashire at a by-election in April 1704, and soon after informed Robert Harley*, through a third party, of his intention to ‘pay you his respects in person’ as soon as he arrived at Westminster. On 30 Oct. 1704 he was listed as a probable opponent of the Tack, was included in Harley’s lobbying list on this issue, and did not vote for the measure on 28 Nov. Fleetwood did not stand at the 1705 election, and the only other impression he made in the public sphere was his appointment to a duchy of Lancaster office in July 1709. He held this post, however, for only six months before his death on 21 Dec. 1709. He was buried on the 27th at Poulton-le-Fylde, and was succeeded by his first surviving son, Edward.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Richard Harrison

Notes

• 1. Baines, Lancs. ed. Croston, iv. 208; Vis. Lancs. (Chetham Soc. ser. 1, lxxxv), 111; H. Fishwick, Hist. Poulton-le-Fylde (Chetham Soc. ser. 2, viii), 164–5.
• 2. Preston Guild Rolls (Lancs. and Cheshire Rec. Soc. ix) 144, 182; Somerville, Duchy of Lancaster Official Lists, 142.
• 3. E.134 6 W&M/Trinity 9, f. 2; Norris Pprs. (Chetham Soc. ser. 1, ix), 95–96; Add. 70213, William Brenard to Harley, 25 Apr. 1704.