ASHE, Edward (1654-1731), of Candlewick Street, London and The Friary, Westminster.

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

Constituency

Dates

Mar. 1679
Oct. 1679

Family and Education

bap. 4 May 1654, 5th but 3rd surv. s. of Edward Ashe, Draper, of Fenchurch Street, London, being 3rd s. by 2nd w. Elizabeth, da. of William Jolliffe of Leek, Staffs., wid. of William Bowyer of Knippersley, Staffs.; bro. of William Ashe. m. at least 1s.1

Offices Held

Capt. 1 Marine Regt. 1690-6; comptroller of customs, Plymouth 1698-d.2

Biography

Under his father’s will Ashe inherited £5,000 and the London house where he had long traded successfully under the sign of the Golden Lion. But there is no evidence that Ashe engaged in trade himself, though he was resident in London in 1679. Returned on his brother’s interest to the Exclusion Parliaments, he was marked ‘honest’ on Shaftesbury’s list and voted for the bill. Otherwise the only parliamentary activity that can be definitely assigned to him is a tellership, when he acted with one of the Hampdens on 14 Apr. against the adjournment of the debate on the Leicestershire election. He was no partisan of Monmouth, writing in December: ‘Knowing that the Parliament intended not his succession, I cannot imagine how the popular be so zealous, except they be set on by some wiser than themselves’. He is mentioned in the records of James II’s Parliament only for introducing on 4 June 1685 the petition of (Sir) George Treby against the Plympton return, for which he was commended by the veteran MP William Garway. But Ashe’s own parliamentary career was almost at an end. He was expected to stand for Heytesbury again in 1688, when he was described as ‘right’ by the King’s electoral agents; but he stood down in favour of William Sacheverell. Even when Sacheverell moved to Nottinghamshire in 1690, the second Heytesbury seat went to William Trenchard, and Ashe took a commission in the marines. On 21 Jan. he was authorized to raise volunteers. With his family experience, he should have made a good thing out of clothing his company, but he seems to have been unlucky. His pay was ordered to be stopped in 1693 until a creditor was satisfied, but the order was soon rescinded. He sold his commission in 1696 for £600, and was appointed comptroller of customs at Plymouth two years later. His salary was only £10 16s.8d. p.a., and the profits of the post were much diminished when war broke out again, and he petitioned the Treasury for preferment. He did not forget to mention that no less than seven of his nephews were ‘well-affected’ Members of Parliament; but the Queen rejected his petition with the comment that the war would not continue for ever. Ashe was reappointed on the Hanoverian succession, though too poor to take out a patent, but after 15 years the Treasury discovered that he had never been to Plymouth, even to take the oath of office, and ordered him to proceed there without delay. Presumably he did so, though not far short of 80, for he still held the appointment when he died ‘in the Friary, St. James’ on 7 Dec. 1731.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: John. P. Ferris

Notes

  • 1. Soc. of Genealogists, Boyd’s London Units 9042; PCC 381 Berkeley; adm. act bk. Dec. 1731.
  • 2. Cal. Treas. Bks. xiv. 153; xx. 150.
  • 3. J. R. Jones, First Whigs, 70; HMC 13th Rep. VI, 26; CSP Dom. 1689-90, p. 423; Cal. Treas. Bks. x. 226; xiv. 159; xx. 27; xxiv. 261; xxix. 320; xxxii. 60; C5/588/2; Cal. Treas. Pprs. 1729-30, p. 412; 1731-4, p. 208; Gent. Mag. (1731), 540.