WRIGHT, Sir George (1572-1623), of Richmond, Surr. and Henshurst, Cobham, Kent

Wright was the eldest of ten surviving children. In 1592 he inherited the patrimonial estate of Henshurst and other lands in Cobham, Kent, but as London custom demanded his father’s other properties, including houses in the City and lands in Essex, were divided between Wright’s mother and siblings. PROB 11/80, ff. 81-2v; C2/Jas.I/W30/5. It was through his mother-in-law that Wright acquired the Surrey manor of Richmond, which became his main residence after the death in 1610 of her second husband, Sir Robert Wright†, who was also his kinsman. PROB 11/115, ff. 266-7; C142/313/93. Wright was an overseer of Sir Robert’s will, and was bequeathed two books of maps ‘in token of goodwill’. Nichols, County of Leicester, iii. 104. Links between the two Wright families were further cemented by the marriage of Sir George’s sister Rebecca to Sir Robert’s nephew, Robert, the eldest son of Richard Wright*. Vis. Surr. (Harl. Soc. xliii), 150. On Richard’s death in 1617, Wright, described as a ‘loving friend’, was again an overseer. PROB 11/130, ff. 133-4.

In 1604 Wright became clerk of the Stable, an office previously held by both his father-in-law, John Farnham, and Sir Robert Wright. It is likely that he owed his return for the distant Lancashire borough of Newton in 1621 to Sir Miles Fleetwood*, to whom he was connected via their mutual patron, the marquess of Buckingham, whose many offices included that of master of the Horse. In the Commons, Wright was appointed to the committee for the earl of Holdernesse’s land bill (13 Mar.), and on 29 Nov. he was added to another bill committee, for ‘the better granting of administrations’. CJ, i. 551b. This latter measure formed the subject of his only recorded speech, in which he complained that the bill had ‘no penalty inserted in the forepart’. Ibid. 650b. On 1 Dec. Wright was chosen to help confer with the Lords on informers, and the same day he was appointed as a Lancashire burgess, to consider a bill to confirm the duchy of Lancaster’s decrees. Ibid. 654a-b.

Wright drafted his will on 20 Nov. 1623, and died four days later, being buried on the 25th at Richmond church. Richmond Par. Reg. 179. It is not surprising that several of his bequests were for the benefit of the poor of Richmond: Wright was well known for his local philanthropy, having erected an almshouse for eight women paupers in 1606 and solicited a donation of £50 from Prince Henry for the repair of Richmond church in 1612. Manning and Bray, i. 434; AO1/2021/1A, unfol. Wright’s main estates passed to his eldest son, Thomas, with provision of £1,000 each to his younger children. PROB 11/143, ff. 49-50. Wright’s widow, who died in 1631, willed all her property and the care of her children to her mother, who lived at Richmond until 1638. PROB 11/160, f. 276; Richmond Par. Reg. 192. None of Wright’s descendants sat in Parliament.