Sir John Raynsford (by 1482 – 1559) was an English politician. John Raynsford was the only son of Sir John Raynsford of Bradfield Hall,

Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...

, and his first wife, Anne Starkey (d. 26 December 1488), widow of John Writtle, esquire, and daughter and coheir of Sir Humphrey Starkey of Littlehall in

Wouldham Wouldham is a village on the bank of the River Medway in Kent, England. In 2011 its population was approximately 1500, which has increased since 2017, with substantial housing development to the south of the village. It has an 11th-century church ...

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

Chief Baron of the Exchequer The Chief Baron of the Exchequer was the first "baron" (meaning judge) of the English Exchequer of Pleas. "In the absence of both the Treasurer of the Exchequer or First Lord of the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was he who pres ...

. After the death of Anne (née Starkey), Raynsford's father married Margaret Ilam, widow of Sir John Shaa,

Lord Mayor of London The Lord Mayor of London is the Mayors in England, mayor of the City of London, England, and the Leader of the council, leader of the City of London Corporation. Within the City, the Lord Mayor is accorded Order of precedence, precedence over a ...

, and daughter of Thomas Ilam (d. 1482) and Jane Verdon, by whom he had a daughter, Julian Raynsford, who married Sir William Waldegrave of Smallbridge, Suffolk. Raynsford succeeded his father in 1521. He was a captain in the army in the French wars and was knighted on 1 July 1523 for his services. He served as a Justice of the Peace for Essex from 1523 to 1530 and from 1536 until his death and was appointed

High Sheriff of Essex The High Sheriff of Essex was an ancient sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years. On 1 April 1974, under the provisions of th ...

and

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

for 1537–38. He was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...

in 1529. Raynsford married firstly Elizabeth or Isabel Knyvet, the daughter and heiress of Edward Knyvet of Suffolk, and secondly Winifred Pympe, the daughter and heiress of John Pympe of

Nettlestead, Kent Nettlestead is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the road south-west of, and part of the Districts of England, borough of Maidstone. The parish includes Nettlestead Green and part of Seven Mile Lane. More than 800 people l ...

. He had no issue by either of his marriages.

Notes

References

* * 1559 deaths People from Colchester English MPs 1529–1536 High sheriffs of Essex High sheriffs of Hertfordshire Year of birth unknown Year of birth uncertain {{1529-England-MP-stub