TREDENHAM, William (c.1638-62), of Tregonan, St. Ewe, Cornw.

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

Constituency

Dates

5 May 1660
16 May 1661 - 12 May 1662

Family and Education

b. c.1638, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of John Tredenham, and bro. of Joseph Tredenham. educ. Exeter, Oxf. 1654; M. Temple 1654. unm. suc. fa. 1656; kntd. 25 July 1660.1

Offices Held

Commr. for militia, Cornw. Mar. 1660, j.p. July 1660-d., commr. for assessment Sept. 1660-d.

Biography

Tredenham was descended from a family seated for many generations at the small manor of Tredenham in the parish of Probus. His father, a successful attorney avoided commitment in the Civil War, but purchased larger Cornish estates, including the manor of Tolverne, where the returning officer for St Mawes was chosen at his court leet, and Tredenham became the first of the family to enter Parliament in 1659. He acquired a good estate four miles from Tregony, but was defeated for the borough at the general election of 1660. He also stood for St. Mawes, and was seated in the Convention on the merits of the return on 5 May. Lord Wharton marked him as a friend, but he was doubtless a court supporter, being rewarded with a knighthood during the session. Although no further proceedings were taken over his election, his only committee was on the bill for excise and accounts a few days before the dissolution. He was again seated on the merits of the return in 1661, and again inactive in the opening session of the Cavalier Parliament. He was named to the committee of elections and privileges, and to those for the Westminster streets bills and three private bills. On 25 July he carried to the Lords a bill to provide allowances for curates. He died on 12 May 1662, and was buried at St. Clement Danes.2

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / Eveline Cruickshanks

Notes

  • 1. Le Neve’s Knights (Harl. Soc. viii), 99; Vivian, Vis. Cornw. 456.
  • 2. Gilbert, Paroch. Hist. Cornw. i. 207, 378; ii. 303-4; iii. 361-2; Add. 34552, ff. 48-49.