Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet

Sir John Gell (2nd Baronet) of Hopton. Born 1613. Baptised at Keddleston in October 1613. Died 8th February 1688 aged 76. Educated at Magdalen College, Oxford. Matriculated 23rd November 1632 aged 17. Sheriff of the County of Derbyshire 1673. M.P.1654- 1659.

Wirksworth Church. JOHN GELL Bart./Knight of ye Sheare for ye County of Darby[sic]/One of ye members/of the Hon rel Conue/ntion dyed ye 8th day/of Febry 1688/9 in ye 76/yeare of his age.(Brass plaque)

The House of Commons 1660 - 1690 Vol. 1 by Basil Duke Henning

Gell took no known part in the Civil War, but represented the county in the Protectorate Parliaments after his father had been imprisoned in the Tower of London for allegedly concealing a royalist plot. He signed the Derbyshire address for a free Parliament in 1660, but was unsuccessful at the general election.

Although regarded as ‘the most rigid Presbyterian in the country’, Gell was restored to the commission of the peace after succeeding to the title. He was defeated for the borough at very moderate expense in the first general election of 1679, and removed from the county bench as an exclusionist. A Whig collaborator, he was recommended as court candidate for the county in 1688, but changed sides in December, sending his son to Nottingham with a gift of £100 for Princess Anne. He was elected to the Convention, but died in London on February 8th 1689 without taking any known part in the proceedings, and was buried at Wirksworth.

Sir John Gell of Hopton, Bart

Sir John Gell, 2nd Bart of Hopton, Sheriff of Derbyshire (bpt 10.1613, d 08.02.1688/9)