Fitzwilliam Coningsby

Who was Fitzwilliam Coningsby?

Fitzwilliam Coningsby was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1621 and in 1640. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Coningsby was born at Hampton Court, Herefordshire, the son of Sir Thomas Coningsby and his wife Phillipa Fitzwilliam daughter of Sir William Fitzwilliam of Milton. He was High Steward of Leominster in 1605.

In 1621, Coningsby was elected Member of Parliament for Herefordshire. In 1625 he inherited Hampton Court on the death of his father. He was High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1626-27 and 1642-43.

In November 1640, Coningsby was elected again as MP for Herefordshire in the Long Parliament, but was expelled in 1641 for being a monopolist, He was one of the "Nine Worthies" - nine justices who formed the royalist leadership in Herefordshire in the summer of 1642. The other "worthies" were Sir William Croft, Wallop Brabazon, Thomas Wigmore of Shobden, Thomas Price of Wisterdon, William Smallman, Henry Lingen, William Rudhall and John Scudamore.

Coningsby died in 1666 and was buried on 23 August 1666 at Hope under Dinmore, Herefordshire,

Coningsby married Cecily Neville on 12 July 1617 at St. Alphage, London. They had children Cecilia, Philippa, Humphrey, Thomas and Henry. Humphrey Coningsby replaced his father in the Long Parliament and was the father of Thomas Coningsby, 1st Earl Coningsby