Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Baronet (1560–1622) was a Member of Parliament for Lancashire[1] and Liverpool and Mayor of Liverpool.[2]
Molyneux was the son of William Molyneux and his wife Bridget Caryll. His grandfather, Sir Richard Molyneux (1528-1568)[3] was MP for Liverpoole from 1562 to 1571. He was educated at University College, Oxford. He married firstly a daughter of Lord Strange and secondly, around 1590, Frances Gerard, the daughter of Sir Gilbert Gerard and Anne Ratcliffe [4] with whom he had six sons and seven daughters including Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Viscount Molyneux and Sir Vivian Molyneux. Alice Molyneux, their elder daughter, married Sir William Dormer and their son, Robert, was created Earl of Carnarvon in 1628.[5]
In 1581, he was appointed by substitution MP of Wigan, replacing Sir Edward Fitton[6] and knighted in 1586. In 1588–1589 he was Mayor of Liverpool and in 1588 and 1596 High Sheriff of Lancashire. He was knight of the shire (MP) for Lancashire in 1584, 1593 and 1604. He was created Baronet Molyneux in 1611.
On his death he was buried in Sefton parish church. His seats were Sefton Hall, Sefton and Lytham Hall, Fylde. He left his estates to his son Richard.