Robert Needham, 1st Viscount Kilmorey

Sir Robert Needham in 1598

Robert Needham, 1st Viscount Kilmorey (c. 1565 – 1631) was an English politician and a peer in the peerage of Ireland.

Biography

He was the eldest son of Robert Needham of Shavington Hall, near Adderley, in Shropshire, educated at Shrewsbury School (1577) and St John's College, Cambridge (1582) and trained in the law at the Inner Temple in 1583. He served in Ireland and was knighted by the Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1594. He succeeded his father in 1603, inheriting Shavington Hall at Adderley, Shropshire.

He was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Shropshire by 1596, a deputy lieutenant of the county in 1600 and High Sheriff of Shropshire for 1606–07. He was a member of the Council in the Marches of Wales in 1609 and vice-president of the council in 1614. He was a Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Shropshire in 1593 and 1604. He was created Viscount Kilmorey in 1625.

He died in 1631 and was buried at Adderley. He was succeeded by his elder son, Robert.

Family

Viscount Kilmorey was married four times:

• He married, firstly, Jane Lacy, daughter of John Lacy, circa 10 August 1586. They had a son Robert.
• He married, secondly, Anne Doyley before 14 October 1594.
• He married, thirdly, Catherine Robinson, daughter of John Robinson.
• He married fourthly 1629/31 the twice widowed Dorothy, daughter of Ambrose Smith of Cheapside.

Sources

• Bendall, Sarah (May 2010) [2004]. "Barnham, Benedict". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1488. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
• J.J.C. (1981). "Needham, Robert (c.1565-1631), of Shavington, Salop.". In Hasler, P.W. (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
• Lundy, Darryl (27 April 2011). Robert Needham, 1st Viscount Kilmorey. ThePeerage.com. p. 19721 § 197206. Retrieved 7 May 2013., Endnotes:
  • Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003), Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, vol. 2 (107th in 3 volumes ed.), Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, p. 2159
  • Cokayne, G.E., ed. (2000), The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, vol. VII (reprint in 6 volumes ed.), Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, p. 261

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