INCE, William (d.1679), of Chester.

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

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

o. surv. s. of Nicholas Ince, maltster, of Chester by Ellen, da. of Richard Spenser of Chester. m. (1) 25 Sept. 1626, Priscilla Hanley of Chester, 1da.; (2) 31 Dec. 1627, Anne (d.1644), da. of Thomas Thropp, merchant, of Chester, at least 5s. (3 d.v.p.) 3da.; (3) lic. 17 Apr. 1665, Sarah Chamberlaine, wid., of Chester, s.p. suc. fa. 1653.1

Offices Held

Freeman, Chester 1626, common councilman 1626-39, sheriff 1634-5, alderman 1639-d., treasurer 1641-2, mayor 1642-3, commr. for assessment 1661-d. 2

Biography

The Ince family had a long association with Chester, having enjoyed the freedom of the city since the beginning of the 16th century. Ince, a clothier, and his father, who had been mayor in 1626-7, were royalist sympathizers; both lent the King money in 1642. As mayor, Ince protected the parliamentary leader, Sir William Brereton, from the royalist mob, and hence survived the purge of the corporation at the end of the Civil War. His moderation made him an acceptable choice at the general election of 1660, but he left no trace on the records of the Convention. He died on 27 Jan. 1679 and was buried at Holy Trinity, Chester, the only member of his family to sit in Parliament.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / Gillian Hampson / Basil Duke Henning

Notes

  • 1. Funeral Certs. (Lancs. and Cheshire Rec. Soc. vi), 172; Cheshire Sheaf (ser. 3), xxi. 78; Mar. Lic. (Lancs. and Cheshire Rec. Soc. lvii), 73; (lxv), 145; Ormerod, Cheshire, i. 328; Holy Trinity Chester Par. Reg. 25-32, 37, 54, 108.
  • 2. Freemen of Chester (Lancs. and Cheshire Rec. Soc. li), 112; Chester corp. assembly bk. 2, ff. 12, 13v, 34, 50v, 119, mayors’ letters 3, no. 404.
  • 3. Cal. Chester Council Mins. (Lancs. and Cheshire Rec. Soc. cvi), 120, 124; Lysons, Cheshire, 564.