LITTLETON, Edward (1653-1705), of Pillaton Hall, Staffs.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

bap. 17 Sept. 1653, 1st s. of Sir Edward Littleton, 2nd Bt., by 1st w. educ. Queen’s, Oxf. 1670. m. 24 Jan. 1671, Susannah, da. of Sir Theophilus Biddulph, 1st Bt., of Westcombe Park, Greenwich, Kent, 3s. 6da.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Staffs. 1673-80, Staffs. and Herefs. 1689-90, sheriff, Staffs. 1680-1; j.p. Staffs. 1687-d., Herefs. by 1701-d.; dep. lt. Staffs. 1689-?d., Herefs. by 1694-?d.2

Biography

Although Littleton was only 17 when he married, he probably took up residence at once in the family home, his father and step-mother moving to Tamworth. He was more interested in racing than in politics, and was nominated as candidate for the county at a gentry meeting in 1685 without any effort on his part. It was even suggested that a subscription should be taken to finance his election expenses. He is not known to have spoken and he was appointed only to the committee on the bill for relief of poor debtors. To the lord lieutenant’s questions on the Test Act and Penal Laws he replied that he could neither consent to their repeal nor promise to vote for candidates who would. There is no evidence, however, that he was removed from the commission of the peace, and he presumably supported the Revolution, since he was added to the lieutenancy in 1689. He is not known to have stood again. He died on 24 Jan. 1705 in his father’s lifetime. His grandson sat for the county from 1784 till his death in 1812.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: A. M. Mimardière

Notes

  • 1. J. C. Tildesley, Hist. Penkridge, 28; Lysons, Environs, iv. 477.
  • 2. Staffs. Dep. Lts. (Wm. Salt Arch. Soc. 1931), 285.
  • 3. Wm. Salt Lib. D1721/3/291, Littleton to Bagot, 6 Mar. 1685, Broughton to Bagot, 7 Mar. 1685, Sneyd to Bagot, 18 Mar. 1685; Staffs. Parl. Hist. (Wm. Salt Arch. Soc.), ii. 157-8.