Abbot, George II (1604-49), of Caldecote and Baddesley Ensor, Warws.

Tamworth        1640 (Apr.), 2 Oct. 1645

bap. 13 Mar. 1604, o.s. of George Abbot of York and Joan, da. of Aleyn Penkeston of St Mary Bishophill Junior, York. suc. fa. 6 Nov. 1607. unm. d. 21 Feb. 1649.

Local: commr. for Warws. and Coventry, assoc. of Staffs. and Warws. 31 Dec. 1642; assessment, Warws. 2 Feb. 1643, 18 Oct. 1644, 23 June 1647, 16 Feb. 1648; Warws. and Coventry 21 Feb 1645; sequestration, Warws. 27 Mar. 1643; accts. of assessment, 3 May 1643; levying of money, Coventry 7 May; Warws. and Coventry 3 Aug 1643; New Model ordinance, 17 Feb. 1645; militia, 2 Dec. 1648.

Central: member, cttee. for plundered ministers, 15 May 1646. Commr. exclusion from sacrament, 5 June 1646, 29 Aug. 1648.

Estate: at d. house and lands at Baddesley Ensor; house at Coney St. York; house and lands at Cornborough, Sheriff Hutton, Yorks. N. Riding.

MI: Caldecote church, south side of chancel.

Will: 25 Sept. 1647, pr. 21 Apr. 1649.

Much confusion and doubt have surrounded the identity of this Member, summarised in his entry in Old DNB. He has been described as a clergyman, muddled with George Abbot I*, and even associated with George Abbot, archbishop of Canterbury. The author of the Old DNB entry did much to correct these many misapprehensions, but left a number still to be rectified. Contrary to the assertion there, George Abbot was not the son of Sir Thomas Abbot of Easington in the East Riding of Yorkshire, nor his grandson: no mention of any Sir Thomas Abbot is recorded in Shaw’s Knights of England. Similarly, the Victoria County History article on Easington does not record a family of that name settled there at any period.

In fact, George Abbot was the son of a minor gentleman of York, who on 27 April 1603 had married Joan Penkeston. She was the daughter of Aleyn Penkeston, who was evidently of some consequence in the city parishes of St Michael le Belfry and St Mary Bishophill Junior. Neither George Abbot, the MP’s father, nor his grandfather Penkeston were freemen of York.