SUCKLING, Robert (1520-89), of St. Andrew's, Norwich, Norf.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603, ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

b. 1520, 1st s. of Richard Suckling, alderman and baker of Norwich. m. (1) 1551, Elizabeth, da. of William Barwick (d.1569), 5s. inc. John 5da.; (2) 1569, Margaret Pettingale (d.1576), wid. of William Wingfield, William Barrett and Richard Head, ?s.p.; (3) 1577, Joan, da. of William Cardinall I of Bromley, Essex, 3s.

Offices Held

Freeman, Norwich 1548, alderman 1559, sheriff 1564-5, mayor 1572-3, 1582-3.

Biography

Suckling was a mercer and merchant adventurer. He purchased in 1562 and rebuilt a large house in Norwich, part of which survives, and he had property at Woodeton and elsewhere in the neighbourhood. In 1571 he took part in discussion with the ecclesiastical commissioners about the jurisdiction over the churches of the Flemish immigrants in the city. His parliamentary wages were 2s. a day in 1571, and 5s. in 1586.

He died in November 1589. An inventory of his property taken in 1590 included four Bibles and a copy of Calvin’s Institutes. As executors he appointed his wife and his son-in-law, Charles Cardinall, who on 24 Oct. 1590 secured a sentence in their favour against the eldest son Edmund, who had received only £100 in the will.

Vis. Norf. (Harl. Soc. xxxii), 274; H. Le Strange, Norf. Official Lists, 108-9; Blomefield, Norf. iii. 278; iv. 308-10; P. Millican, Norwich Freemen, 100; Bronnen tot de Geschiedenis van den Handel met Engeland, Schotland en Ierland, ed. Smit, ii. 805, 807, 812, 850; Norf. Arch. xix. 197-8, 208; xx. 158-77; Norwich ass. min. bk. 1551-68, f. 171; The Walloons and their Church at Norwich (Hug. Soc. i), pt. 1, pp. 19, 39; Norwich corp. ct. bk. 1569-76, p. 177; 1582-7, p. 704; PCC 70 Drury.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: Roger Virgoe

Notes