Sir William Blackett, of Newcastle, MP, 1st Baronet

From Wikipedia: Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet, of Newcastle

Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet (May 1621 – 16 May 1680) was a businessman who founded a mercantile and industrial base in Newcastle and a politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1673 to 1680.

Early life

Blackett was the third son of William Blackett and his wife Isabella Crook and was born in Gateshead. His father, was a successful businessman at Jarrow and Gateshead and retired to Hoppyland, County Durham. Blackett was apprenticed to a merchant at Newcastle in 1636 and became merchant trading with Denmark. The following story about him was printed in the Newcastle Daily Journal of Tuesday, 18 April 1893.

• Sir William, soon after he commenced business risked his little all in a speculation in flax, and having freighted a large vessel with that article received the unpleasant intelligence that the flax fleet had been dispersed in a storm, and most of the vessels either lost or captured by the enemy. He took his accustomed walk next morning, ruminating on his loss, and was aroused by the noise of a ship in the river. He jumped upon an adjoining hedge, hailed the vessel and found it to be his own, which had without difficulty weathered the storm. He instantly returned and hiring a horse rode in a very short time to London and hastened to the exchange, found the merchants in great alarm about the loss of the flax fleet and speaking of the consequent high price of flax. On informing them that he dealt in that article and had a large quantity to dispose of, speculators soon flocked around him and he sold his whole cargo at a most extravagant price, and the produce of that adventure laid the foundation for one of the largest fortunes acquired in Newcastle. Sir William (and also his children) is said to have regarded with a kind of veneration the hedge from which he first perceived the vessel and made it the extent of his future morning walks.

Business and political career

Blackett was a member of Merchant Adventurers at Newcastle in 1645 and became freeman in 1646. He became a common councilman of Newcastle in 1648. In 1653 he was a member of the Eastland Company and the Hostmen of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. He played no apparent part in the English Civil War or interregnum politics until the time of the Restoration.

Blackett was commissioner for militia in March 1660 and captain of foot militia in April 1660. From August 1660 to 1661 he was commissioner for assessment for Newcastle. He was elected sheriff of Newcastle for 1660 to 1661, when he was described as "a loyal man, much beloved and fit for the office". From 1661 until his death he was an alderman of Newcastle. He was governor of the Hostman's Company from 1662 to 1664 and was Mayor of Newcastle for 1666–67 during which year of office he appeased a riot over taxes with an assurance that payment was voluntary. He was governor of the Hostman's Company again from 1667 to 1669 and was a commissioner for assessment for Newcastle from 1667 until his death.

Blackett was also involved in coal and lead mining, having "by the product of his mines and collieries acquired a very great fortune". He invested heavily in the local coalfield, and once spent £20,000 in an unsuccessful attempt to drain a flooded pit. He is believed to have extended his fortune by buying land in the 1660s and 1670s. He also acted as business adviser to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle. From 1669 until his death, he was sub-farmer of coal duties. He became Deputy Lieutenant of the county in 1670. In 1672, he was involved in a dispute with the local customs officials as member of the syndicate which leased the coal export duties from Lord Townshend for £3,200 a year. He was J.P. for Northumberland from 1673 until his death.

In 1673, Blackett was elected in a by-election as Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne in the Cavalier Parliament. He was created a baronet nine days later on 12 December 1673 and the fee was remitted "in consideration of his good services". He was commissioner for assessment for county Durham and Northumberland from 1677 until his death and commissioner for carriage of coals for the port of Newcastle in 1679. He retained his seat at Newcastle in the two elections of 1679.

Blackett died aged about 61 and was buried at St Nicholas Church, Newcastle.

Family

Blackett married firstly, on 10 July 1645 at Hamsterley. Elizabeth Kirkley, daughter of Michael Kirkley merchant of Newcastle. She died on 7 April 1674 and was buried at St Nicholas Church Newcastle. He married secondly Margaret Rogers, widow of Captain John Rogers and daughter of Henry Cock of Newcastle. He was succeeded as baronet by his son by his first wife Edward to whom he left a substantial fortune. He also left a fortune to his third son William who acquired the Wallington estate.

From The Peerage: Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet

Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet, was born circa 1620. He was the son of William Blackett and Isabella Croke. He married, firstly, Elizabeth Kirkley, daughter of Michael Kirkley, on 10 July 1645 at Hamsterley, County Durham, England. He married, secondly, Margaret Cock, daughter of Ralph Cock, after 1674. He died on 16 May 1680. He was buried at St. Nicholas's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. His will was proven (by probate) on 9 March 1679 [1679/80]. His will was proven (by probate) in 1680. He held the office of Alderman of Newcastle. He held the office of Mayor of Newcastle. He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Newcastle between December 1673 and 1680. He was created 1st Baronet Blackett, of Newcastle, County Northumberland [England] on 12 December 1673. Wotton writes that he "by the product of his mines and collieries acquired a very great fortune."

Children of Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet, and Elizabeth Kirkley

• Sir Edward Blackett, 2nd Baronet, born about 1649, died 23 April 1718
• Michael Blackett born between 1650 - 1656
• Sir William Blackett, 1st Baronet, born about 1657, died December 1705

Newcastle commerce certainly enriched many of the region’s leading families, Sir William Blackett, first baronet (1621- 1680) a prominent example. William’s father came from the chapelry of Hamsterley to the west of Bishop Auckland in County Durham. Socially he was on the borderline between yeoman and gentry status, but through trade and business he rose to be part of the town elite, purchasing Grey Friars mansion in 1675.

From History of Parliament Online

Biography

From findagrave: Sir William Blackett (1621-1680)

• Name: William Blackett
• Born: 1 May 1621, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England
• Died: 16 May 1680 (aged 59)
• Buried: Newcastle Cathedral, St Nicholas Square, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 1PF 54.97000, -1.61111, England
• About: 1st Baronet of Newcastle. He was the third son of William Blackett and his wife, Isabella Crook. He apprenticed to a merchant and risked everything he had on a shipment of flax. Upon hearing the news that the ship of flax was lost in a storm, he was taking a walk when he spotted the vessel in the river. His cargo sold at an inflated price and his career as a successful businessman was launched. He served in the militia and then became a Newcastle Alderman and Mayor. As Newcastle's Mayor, he suppressed a riot and endeared himself to the population by making taxes voluntary. In 1673, he was elected as an MP for Newcastle upon Tyne and shortly thereafter, was created a baronet. He was married twice. First to Elizabeth Kirkely, daughter of Michael Kirley, a Newcastle merchant. Their son, Edward Blackett succeeded him as baronet. After Elizabeth died, he married Margaret Rogers, daughter of Henry Cock of Newcastle, and widow of Captain John Rogers. They had a son, William. Both sons inherited handsome estates from their father. First baronet, merchant and mine owner. He's buried in St Nicholas Church, Newcastle.

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