Richard Croke (1625 – 14 September 1683) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654. Croke was the son of

Unton Croke Unton Croke (159328 January 1671) was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1628 and 1640. He supported the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War. Croke was the son of Sir John Croke of Chilton, Buckingh ...

of Marston, Oxfordshire and his wife Anne Hore, daughter of Richard Hore of Marston. He was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

in 1636, aged 11 and entered

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wal ...

in 1636. He was called to the Bar in 1646. He was a commissioner for the sale of Woodstock manor in 1649. In 1653 he became deputy recorder of Oxford and became freeman of the city of Oxford. History of Parliament Online - Richard Croke
/ref> In 1654, Croke became

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in the First Protectorate Parliament after the elected member chose to sit for another constituency. He was J.P. for Oxford from 1655 to August 1660, and JP for Abingdon in 1655. He was commissioner for security for Oxfordshire from 1655 to 1656 and was a JP for Woodstock from 1656 to August 1660. In 1656 he was elected MP for Oxford in the Second Protectorate Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Oxfordshire in 1657. In 1659, he was re-elected MP for Oxford in the

Third Protectorate Parliament The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons. It was a bicameral Parliament, with an Upper House having a powe ...

. He was commissioner for militia for Oxfordshire in 1659. He was commissioner for assessment for Oxfordshire in January 1660, commissioner for militia for Oxford in March 1660 and JP for Oxfordshire from March 1660 until his death. Croke stood unsuccessfully for parliament in the general election of 1660. He became Recorder of Oxford in June 1660 and remained until his death. In 1661 he was elected MP for Oxford again in the Cavalier Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Oxfordshire from 1661 to 1663 and commissioner for assessment for Oxford from 1661 to 1680. In 1662 he was bencher of his Inn. He was commissioner for assessment for Oxfordshire from 1664 to 1680, and became JP for Oxford again in 1665 until his death. He was reader of his Inn in 1670. In 1671 he succeeded his father in the estates at Marston. He was commissioner for recusants for Oxfordshire in 1675 and also became Serjeant-at-law in 1675 until his death. He was knighted on 16 March 1681 after drafting the address approving of the dissolution of Parliament. Croke died at the age of 57 and was buried at Marston. Croke married by 1654, Elizabeth Wright daughter of Martin Wright, goldsmith of Oxford and had five sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Croke, Richard 1625 births 1683 deaths People educated at Winchester College Members of the Inner Temple Politicians from Oxford 17th-century English lawyers English lawyers English MPs 1654–1655 English MPs 1656–1658 English MPs 1659 English MPs 1661–1679 Politicians from Oxfordshire