Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of London
- For his namesake, see Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of Deptford.
Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet (c. 1610-1669) was a Major-General in the English Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was subsequently Lord Mayor of London.
Browne was of low birth, born sometime prior to 1616, to John Browne (alias Moses) of Wokingham in Berkshire and his wife, Anne Beard. He was a woodmonger in 1634. He became a Major General for Parliament's Oxford, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Regiments in June 1644 and set up his headquarters at Abingdon in order to harass the King's men at nearby Oxford. He was at the Siege of Oxford and received King Charles upon his hand-over by the Scots. He was Member of Parliament for Wycombe from October 1645 to 12 December 1648, but was imprisoned for a period after being accused of conspiracy with the Scots. He was Member of Parliament for London fro 1656 to 60. He was Sheriff of the City of London and then Alderman of the City of London from 29 June 1648 to 11 December 1649. Browne became disillusioned with the protectorate and was one of those who called for the return of the monarchy. He met Charles II at the head of his triumphal procession into London.
As a reward, Richard was knighted in March 1660 and made a baronet on 22 July 1660. He continued as Member of Parliament for Ludgershall (1641-1669) and was elected Lord Mayor of London (1660-61). He lived at Debden Manor, near Saffron Walden, in Essex which he had purchased before May 1662. He had children: Sir Richard Browne and Sir John Browne and died intestate at Debden on 24 September 1669.
Sources
- The Complete Baronetage (c.1900 reprinted 1983)
- Leslie Stephen (ed.). (1886). Dictionary of National Biography