Sir John Bright, 1st Baronet

Sir John Bright, 1st Baronet (14 October 1619 – 13 October 1688), was an English parliamentarian, of Carbrook and Badsworth, Yorkshire.

Birth and Family

Bright was born in 1619, the third but only surviving son of Stephen Bright and Joan Westby.

Military Career

Bright took up arms for the parliament at the outbreak of the civil war. He raised several companies in the neighbourhood of Sheffield, and received a captain's commission from Lord Fairfax. He was also named one of the sequestration commissioners for the West Riding (1 April 1643). About the same date he became a colonel of foot : 'He was but young when he first had the command, but he grew very valiant and prudent, and had his officers and soldiers under good conduct' (Memoirs of Captain John Hodgson, p. 102). He accompanied Sir Thomas Fairfax in his expedition into Cheshire, commanded a brigade at the battle of Selby, and on the surrender of the castle of Sheffield was appointed governor of that place (August 1644), and a little later military governor of York. In the second civil war he served under Cromwell in Scotland, and also took part in the siege of Pontefract. On Cromwell's second expedition into Scotland, Bright threw up his commission when the army arrived at Newcastle, in consequence of the refusal of a fortnight's leave (Hodgson, Memoirs). Nevertheless he continued to take an active part in public affairs. In 1651 he was commissioned to raise a regiment to oppose the march of Charles II into England (Cal. State Papers, Dom. Ser.), and he undertook the same service in 1659, on the rising headed by Sir George Booth (Journals of the House of Commons).

Life after the Military

After his service in the Parliamentary army, he settled down as a country gentleman with estates mainly at Badsworth and Ecclesall. In 1654 he was appointed High Sheriff of Yorkshire, acted as governor of York and of Hull and was appointed MP for the West Riding of Yorkshire in the First Protectorate Parliament. 'He may be presumed to have concurred in the measures for bringing about the Restoration, for we find that as early as July 1660 he was admitted into the order of baronets, having been previously knighted' (Hunter).

Marriages

Bright married four times. He married first, about 1645, Catherine Lister, daughter of Sir Richard Hawksworth. Secondly, about 1665, he married Elizabeth Norcliffe, daughter of Sir Thomas Norcliffe. In July 1682 he married Susanna Vane, daughter of Sir Thomas Liddell, 2nd baronet, and widow of Thomas Vane. Fourthly he married on 7 June 1683 Susannah Wharton, daughter of Michael Wharton. He left his estates to his grandson John Liddell, son of his only surviving child, Catherine, wife of Sir Henry Liddell of Ravensworth Castle, Durham. John Liddell assumed the name of Bright on coming into his estates.^[1]

Death

He died on 13 Sept. 1688 and was buried in Badsworth church.

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Bright, John (1619-1688)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.