Sir Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baronet, of Middleton

Sir Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baronet (11 February 1651 – 3 May 1716) of Middleton Hall[1][2] and Whalley Abbey, Lancashire, was an English landowner and politician who represented Liverpool (1677–79) and Lancashire (1694–98) as a Member of Parliament.

Ralph Assheton
Member of Parliament for Lancashire
In office
1694–1698
Preceded byCharles Gerard, Viscount Brandon
Succeeded byThe Hon. Fitton Gerard
Member of Parliament for Liverpool
In office
March 1677 – 1679
Preceded byWilliam Banks
Succeeded byRuisshe Wentworth
Personal details
Born(1651-02-11)11 February 1651
Middleton, Lancashire, UK
Died3 May 1716(1716-05-03) (aged 64)
Middleton, Lancashire, UK
Spouse(s)(1) Mary Vavasour;
(2) Mary Hyde
Children4
RelativesSir Ralph Assheton, 1st Bt (father)
Sir Ralph Assheton, 3rd Bt (nephew)
Residence(s)Middleton Hall
Whalley Abbey
EducationBrasenose College, Oxford
OccupationPolitician

Early life

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Baptised on 19 February 1651 in Middleton in Lancashire, he was the son of Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet, of Middleton, and Anne Assheton, daughter of Sir Ralph Assheton, 1st Baronet, of Great Lever. Assheton was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1668. In 1665, he succeeded to his father's baronetcy and in 1696, he inherited the family's estates in Downham near Whalley, Lancashire from his uncle Sir John Assheton, 4th Baronet, of Lever.[3]

Career

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From March 1677 to 1679, Assheton was Member of Parliament (MP) for Liverpool and from 1694 to 1698 for Lancashire. He was a Justice of the Peace for Lancashire from 1675 to 1687 and from 1689 until his death. He died, aged 65, and was buried at Middleton. In the baronetcy, he was succeeded by his nephew, Sir Ralph Assheton, 3rd Baronet, of Middleton.[3]

Assheton had a private book collection of some significance and works from his collection can be identified by the presence of his engraved bookplate.[4]

Family

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Assheton had married firstly Mary Vavasour, the daughter of Thomas Vavasour of Spaldington, Yorkshire, with whom he had one son (who predeceased him) and three daughters. He married, secondly, to Mary Hyde, the daughter of Robert Hyde of Denton, Lancashire.[3] His daughter Catherine Assheton (d.1728) married Thomas Lister (1688–1745).

References

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  1. ^ "Middleton". manchesterhistory.net. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Middlesmoor - Middleton-Hall". A Topographical Dictionary of England. 1848. pp. 306–310 – via British History Online.
  3. ^ a b c "ASSHETON (ASHTON), Sir Ralph II, 2nd Bt. (1652–1716), of Middleton, nr. Manchester, Lancs. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Ralph Ashton 1652-1716 - Book Owners Online". www.bookowners.online. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
Parliament of England
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Liverpool
1677–1679
With: Richard Atherton
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lancashire
1694–1698
With: James Stanley
Succeeded by
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Baronet
(of Middleton)
1665–1716
Succeeded by
Ralph Assheton