PHILIPPS, William (c.1615-c.89), of Haythog, Pemb.

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

Constituency

Dates

17 Apr. - 29 June 1660
7 Aug. 1660

Family and Education

b. c.1615, 1st s. of John Philipps of Haythog by 2nd w. Elinor, da. of Hugh Butler of Johnston, wid. of James Phillips of Penty Park. educ. Balliol, Oxf. matric 15 June 1632, aged 17; G. Inn 1635, called 1642. m. Martha, da. of one Price of Kingston-upon-Thames, Surr., 1s. d.v.p. 4da. suc. fa. by 1650.

Offices Held

Sheriff, Pemb. 1645-6; commr. for assessment, Pemb. 1647, Aug. 1660-80, Haverfordwest Aug. 1660-1, 1663-9, 1677-9; j.p. Pemb. 1652-6, Mar. 1660-Apr. 1688, Oct. 1688-d., Haverfordwest Sept. 1660-Sept. 88; commr. for militia, Pemb. Mar. 1660, dep. lt. 1674-Feb. 1688.1

?Major (royalist) 1648.2

Biography

Philipps came from a cadet branch of the family of Picton, established in Pembrokeshire since the early 16th century and first entering Parliament in 1555. He does not appear to have been active in the first Civil War, but probably fought under Rowland Laugharne the royalist in the rising of 1648. His estate was sequestrated in September 1651 but was discharged at the end of January 1652.3

Philipps was royalist candidate for Haverfordwest at the general election of 1660 against the ‘republican’, Sampson Lort. James Philipps withdrew in favour of his ‘cousin’. Philipps was returned, and vigorously defended the corporation against Lort’s charges, but the election was declared void. During the hearing, he corresponded regularly with the mayor about political developments. He was reelected on 7 Aug., but he was an inactive Member of the Convention. He was named to only six committees, of which the most important was to consider regulating the fees of courts and offices. On 9 Nov. he raised a question of privilege on behalf of Sir Hugh Owen, 1st Bt. In December Lord Valentia (Arthur Annesley) wished the House to reward ‘Major Philipps’ for his services to the crown, but the recommendation was not effected.4

Philipps apparently never sought re-election. In 1688 he avoided answering the questions about repeal of the Test Act and Penal Laws by pleading that he was ‘very old’. The date of his death has not been ascertained, but it was probably the same year or soon after the Revolution. He was the last of the Haythog branch.

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / Leonard Naylor / Geoffrey Jaggar

Notes

  • 1. Information from Major Francis Jones, Wales Herald; J. Allen, Pemb. Sheriffs, 30-31.
  • 2. A. L. Leach, Civil War in Pemb. 212.
  • 3. Cal. Comm. Adv. Money , 894; Cal. Comm. Comp. 443, 482, 2353.
  • 4. Cal. Recs. Haverfordwest , (Univ. Wales, Bd. of Celtic Studies, Hist. and Law ser. xxiv), 167-172; Bowman diary, f. 31; Old Parl. Hist. xxiii. 17.