Patricius Curwen

Sir Patricius Curwen, 1st Baronet (c. 1602 – 15 December 1664) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1640 to 1643 and from 1661 to 1664. He supported the Royalist side in the English Civil War

Curwen was the son of Sir Henry Curwen of Workington in Cumberland. The Curwen family owned iron ore mines at Harrington and the account books of Curwen's steward contain many referenced to iron ore.^[1] Curwen was apparently a generous landlord who between 1628 and 1643 paid his harvesters with food and wages and provided a piper to play in the fields for the time of the harvest.^[2] In 1627 he was created a Baronet, of Workington in the County of Cumberland.

In 1636 Curwen was appointed High Sheriff of Cumberland and in April 1640 was elected Member of Parliament for Cumberland for the Short Parliament. He was re-elected in November 1640 for the Long Parliament and was one of the 56 MPs who voted to spare the life of the Earl of Strafford.^[3] He was disabled from sitting in March 1643 as a royalist.^[4]

After the Restoration in 1661 Curwen was elected MP for Cumberland again in the Cavalier Parliament, and held the seat until his death in 1664.^[5]

Curwen died in December 1664 at the age of 62. The baronetcy died with him. In his will he bequeathed money to build and maintain a school at Harrington which was known as the Patricius Curwen School.^[6]

Curwen married Lady Isabella Selby, daughter of Sir George Selby of Whitehouse in Durham. Their only son Henry died in 1636.^[7]

References

1. ^ Thomas Stuart Willan Trade and transport: essays in economic history in honour of T. S. Willan
2. ^ Robert Hutton The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain
3. ^ Eneas Mackenzie An historical, topographical, and descriptive view of the county of Northumberland .. Mackenzie and Dent, 1825
4. ^ Browne WIllis Notitia parliamentaria, or, An history of the counties, cities, and boroughs in England and Wales: ... The whole extracted from mss. and printed evidences 1750 pp229-239
5. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 4)
6. ^ Samuel Jefferson The History and Antiquities of Allerdale Ward, Above Derwent, in the County of Cumberland; With Biographical Notices and Memoirs General Books 2009 ISBN 1150130814, 9781150130816
7. ^ The Gentleman's magazine, Volume 67, Part 2 (1797)

Parliament of England
Preceded by Parliament suspended since 1629	Member of Parliament for Cumberland 1640-1643 With: Sir George Dalston	Succeeded by William Airmine Richard Tolson
Preceded by Sir Wilfrid Lawson Charles Howard	Member of Parliament for Cumberland 1661-1664 With: Sir George Fletcher, Bt	Succeeded by Sir George Fletcher, Bt Sir John Lowther, Bt
Baronetage of England
New creation	Baronet (of Workington) 1627–1664	Extinct

Persondata
Name	Curwen, Patricius
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1602
Place of birth
Date of death	1664
Place of death