Biography of Henry Cromwell 1628-1674

On 23rd February 1589 Oliver St George 1st Baronet was knighted at Dublin Castle by Henry Cromwell.

On 22nd August 1620 [his father] Oliver Cromwell (age 21) and [his mother] Elizabeth Bourchier (age 22) were married.

On 20th January 1628 Henry Cromwell was born to Oliver Cromwell (age 28) and Elizabeth Bourchier (age 30) at Huntingdon [Map].

On 10th May 1653 Henry Cromwell (age 25) and Elizabeth Russell were married. He the son of Oliver Cromwell (age 54) and Elizabeth Bourchier (age 55).

In 1654 William Temple 1st Baronet (age 26) and Dorothy Osborn (age 27) were married. Her suitors had included Thomas Osborne 1st Duke Leeds (age 21), Henry Cromwell (age 25) and Justinian Isham 2nd Baronet (age 44). Before their marriage they had conducted a clandestine epistolary relationship; her seventy-nine letters survive: British Library (ADD. MSS. 33975) - see Letters of Dorothy Osborn.

On 3rd May 1658 [his son] Henry Williams Cromwell was born to Henry Cromwell (age 30). And [his wife] Elizabeth Russell.

On 7th June 1658 John King 1st Baron Kingston was knighted by Henry Cromwell (age 30).

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 22nd March 1663. Thence with Mr. Creed to Captain Ferrers, where many fine ladies; the house well and prettily furnished. She [Mrs. Ferrers] lies in, in great state, Mr. G. Montagu (age 40), Collonel Williams (age 35)¹, Cromwell that was, and Mrs. Wright as proxy for my Lady Jemimah, were witnesses. Very pretty and plentiful entertainment, could not get away till nine at night, and so home. My coach cost me 7s.

Note 1. Colonel Williams-"Cromwell that was"-appears to have been Henry Cromwell, grandson of Sir Oliver Cromwell, and first cousin, once removed, to the Protector. He was seated at Bodsey House, in the parish of Ramsey, which had been his father's residence, and held the commission of a colonel. He served in several Parliaments for Huntingdon [Map]shire, voting, in 1660, for the restoration of the monarchy; and as he knew the name of Cromwell would not be grateful to the Court, he disused it, and assumed that of Williams, which had belonged to his ancestors; and he is so styled in a list of knights of the proposed Order of the Royal Oak. He died at Huntingdon [Map], 3rd August, 1673. (Abridged from Noble's "Memoirs of the Cromwells", vol. i., p. 70.) B.

Note 2. The date 3rd August, 1673 quoted in Note 1 appears to be incorrect. He died on 23 Mar 1674.

In 1665 [his mother] Elizabeth Bourchier (age 67) died.

On 23rd March 1674 Henry Cromwell (age 46) died. He was buried at St Laurence's Church, Wicken [Map].

On 7th April 1687 [his former wife] Elizabeth Russell died.