John Desborough

John Desborough (1608–1680) was an English soldier and politician who supported the parliamentary cause during the English Civil War.

Life

He was the son of James Desborough of Eltisley, Cambridgeshire, and of Elizabeth Hatley of Over in the same county. He was baptized on 13 November 1608. He was educated in law. On 23 June 1636 he married Eltisley Jane, daughter of Robert Cromwell of Huntingdon, and sister of Oliver Cromwell, the future Lord Protector.

He took an active part in the English Civil War, and showed considerable military ability. In 1645, he was present as major in the engagement at Langport on 10 July, at Hambleton Hill on 4 August, and on 10 September he commanded the horse at the storming of Bristol. Later he took part in the operations round Oxford. In 1648, as colonel he commanded the forces at Great Yarmouth.

He avoided all participation in the trial of Charles I in June 1649, being employed in the settlement of the west of England. He fought at Worcester as major-general and nearly captured Charles II near Salisbury.

Desborough

Coordinates: 52°26′23″N 0°49′02″W / 52.4398°N 0.8172°W / 52.4398; -0.8172

Desborough is a town in Northamptonshire, England. It is located in the Ise Valley, between Market Harborough and Kettering. In the 19th century, the town was an industrial centre for weaving and shoe making. It has a long association with the Co-operative movement. Modern Desborough is a residential centre, with new homes and industry being developed to the north of the old town centre.

History

Desborough developed around the spinning and weaving industries, by the 19th century specialising in silk. Many archaeological finds from the Iron Age and Anglo-Saxon periods have been made in the town, some of which are in the collections of the British Museum.

Desborough's origins lie in the Bronze Age around 2000 BC. Urns from that period have been found in and around the town. The most important archaeological find was the 1st-century Desborough Mirror, which is now in the British Museum, as is the Anglo-Saxon Desborough Necklace, found in the Paddock Lane area of the town, which comprises gold beads, a gold cross and a red garnet. Other stone artefacts are on display in the parish church.

Desborough Hundred

Coordinates: 51°37′58″N 0°46′39″W / 51.63278°N 0.77750°W / 51.63278; -0.77750

Desborough Hundred is a hundred in Buckinghamshire, England. It is situated in the south of the county and is bounded on the west by Oxfordshire and on the south the River Thames marked the boundary with Berkshire.

History

Until at least the time of the Domesday Survey in 1086 there were 18 hundreds in Buckinghamshire. It has been suggested however that neighbouring hundreds had already become more closely associated in the 11th century so that by the end of the 14th century the original or ancient hundreds had been consolidated into 8 larger hundreds. Desborough hundred is one of three hundreds which became collectively known as the Chiltern hundreds around the 13th century, the others being Burnham hundred and Stoke hundred. Even before this time these individual hundreds had become special possessions of the Crown and were together stewarded as a royal bailiwick, occupying the place of any dukedom, earldom or barony that might otherwise have had absolute possession of the whole area (see fee simple and knight's fee). The Chiltern Hundreds were for all but this Crown Steward and Bailiff (one role), separately leased and administered, the lords of the various manors meeting occasionally in each hundred of the county, which were the main administrative units. Meanwhile the role of Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds persisted in name only becoming a government-led appointment, and from 1751, a disqualifying sinecure for any elected members of the House of Commons.