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BRADSHAIGH, Roger II (c.1649-87), of Haigh Hall, nr. Wigan, Lancs.
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Family and Education
b. c.1649, o. surv. s. of (Sir) Roger Bradshaigh I, 1st Bt. educ. I. Temple 1667. m. 8 Apr. 1673 (with £2,000), Mary, da. and coh. of Henry Murray of Berkhampstead, Herts., groom of the bedchamber to Charles I, 6s. 2da. Kntd. 8 Mar. 1679; suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. 31 Mar. 1684.1
Offices Held
Freeman, Preston 1662, 1682, commr. for assessment, Lancs. 1677-80; mayor, Wigan 1679-80, 1684-6; j.p. Lancs. 1683-7, dep. lt. 1685-?86.2
Biography
Bradshaigh was returned for Wigan at the first general election of 1679 as a court supporter and marked ‘base’ on Shaftesbury’s list. He was rewarded with a knighthood before the first Exclusion Parliament met, but he served on no committees, made no speeches, and absented himself from the division on the bill. He was not re-elected, but in November he persuaded his father to accept a baronetcy. He maintained the Roman Catholic connexions of the family, and was accused of creating Popish freemen during his mayoralty at Wigan. In 1684 he was granted the lands of 18 convicted recusants, doubtless to their mutual advantage. Returned for the county in the following year, when he acted as returning officer at Wigan, he was appointed only to the committee of elections and privileges in James II’s Parliament. He was listed among the Opposition, and appears to have been removed from county office in 1687. He died on 17 June. 1687 and was buried at Wigan. His son, the 3rd baronet, sat for Wigan in 14 successive Parliaments from 1695 to his death in 1747, first as a Tory, then changing sides after the Hanoverian succession.3
Ref Volumes: 1660-1690
Author: Irene Cassidy
Notes
This biography is based on A. J. Hawker, Sir Roger Bradshaigh (Chetham Soc. n.s. cix).