Sir John Popham, MP, Speaker of the House of Commons

Family and Education

b. 1532/33, 2nd s. of Alexander Popham, and bro. of Edward. educ. Balliol, Oxf.; M. Temple. m. by Jan. 1549, Amy, da. and h. of Hugh Adams of Castleton, Glam., 1s. Francis† 6da. Kntd. 1592.1

Children:

• Sir Francis Popham, his only son and heir
• Penelope Popham
• Elinor Popham
• Elizabeth Popham
• Mary Popham
• Amy Popham

Offices Held

Autumn reader, M. Temple 1568, Lent 1573, treasurer 1580-8.

Recorder, Bridgwater 1571-2, Bristol 1571-80; j.p.q. Som. 1573/74-d., Mdx. 1583, Bucks., Norf., Wilts. 1594, Beds., Cambs., Hunts., Suff. 1600; serjeant-at-law 1579; solicitor-gen. 1579-81; attorney-gen. 1581-9; 2nd justice, Lancaster 1581-9; j.c.p. 1589-92; l.c.j. KB 1592-d.; receiver of petitions in the Lords, Parlts. of 1593, 1597, 1601, 1604; custos rot. Som. by 1594; commr. eccles. causes, Salisbury diocese 1599, chancellorship of duchy of Lancaster 1601; PC 1599.2

Speaker of House of Commons 1581.

Biography

John Popham married very young, apparently when no more than 17; his wife, who was heir to the manor of Castleton in Glamorganshire, may have been a ward of his father, from whom John was to inherit property in Bridgwater, Somerset. According to Aubrey it was not until he was 30 years old that Popham was persuaded by his wife to concentrate on his legal studies. He had earlier been put out of commons by his inn, where in November 1556 he was restored on paying a fine of 40s.; and it was not until the 1560s that he began that progress which brought him to the top of his chosen profession.3

Popham’s election to the Parliament of 1558 by Lyme Regis may have been the work of his brother-in-law William Pole, who sat for the town in 1545 and who was to become its legal counsellor. Nothing is known of Popham’s role in Mary’s last Parliament although his name is marked with a circle on a copy of the list of its Members in use for the second session: the significance of the circle has yet to be explained.4

After a long and distinguished career under Elizabeth, Popham died on 10 June 1607, and was buried in the church at Wellington. Several portraits of him in middle age survive.5

Ref Volumes: 1509-1558

Author: Helen Miller

Notes

• 1. Aged 25 on 15 May 1558, but allegedly 76 at death according to MI, St.Ch.3/9/88; Collinson, Som. ii. 483. Vis. Som. (Harl. Soc. xi), 125; CPR, 1553, p. 326.
• 2. W. Barrett, Bristol, 115; Dugdale, Chronica Series, 95, 97-98; APC, xxix. 738; LJ, ii. 168, 191, 226, 263; Somerville, Duchy. i. 396-7; C66/1421; SP 13 case no. 11.
• 3.CPR, 1553, p. 326; Manning, Speakers, 247; C142/108/104; M.T. Recs. i. passim.
• 4. Wm. Salt Lib. SMS 264.
• 5. Collinson, ii. 483; Cat. Boughton House State Rooms and High Pavilion, 1, 2.

Source: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/po...

Links

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Popham_(Lord_Chief_Justice)
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LB4S-MS2
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Popham-12
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16292503/john-popham

Sir John Popham
BIRTH
1531
Sedgemoor District, Somerset, England
DEATH
10 Jun 1607 (aged 75–76)
Wellington, Taunton Deane Borough, Somerset, England
BURIAL
St John the Baptist Churchyard
Wellington, Taunton Deane Borough, Somerset, England

Speaker of the House of Commons, Attorney General, and Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench.

John Popham of Wellington, Somerset, was born at Huntworth in the parish of North Petherton, Somerset. Popham received his education at Balliol College, Oxford, served as MP for Lyme Regis 1557-58, reader at the Middle Temple 1568, recorder of Bristol, MP for Bristol 1571-83, sergeant at law 1578, Solicitor General 1579, Attorney General 1581, Speaker of Queen Elizabeth's fourth Parliament 1581-83, Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench 1592, when he was knighted and made a privy councilor, and presided at the trials of Sir Walter Raleigh (1603) and Guy Fawkes (1606) among others.

Notes compiled by John Popham's descendant, Todd Whitesides.
Inscription
Sir John Popham Knight and Chief Justice of England and of the Honorable Privy Councell of Queene Elizabeth and after to King James, aged 76, died 10th day of June 1607 and is here interred.
Gravesite Details
The tomb was moved from its original placement in 1848, and again in 1938 to its present location, leaving the exact site of the family's remains within the church unknown at this time.