George Howard

Who is George Howard?

George Howard or Halsey was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1660 and 1671.

Howard was the son of Lady Mary Howard, daughter of Sir John Fitz of Fitzford. She was married four times and had been estranged from her third husband, Sir Charles Howard of Clun Castle Shropshire, for 18 months when she gave birth to Howard in "some obscure place near London". His father was alleged to be a servant George Cuttford of Walreddon, Whitchurch, Devon. The child was christened George Halsey and his existence concealed until he was nine years old. His mother married Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet after the death of Sir Charles Howard although they were separated during the Civil War, and later when he was banished.

Howard was commissioner for militia for Devon in March 1660. In April 1660, he was elected Member of Parliament in a double return at both Tavistock and Bere Alston. In both cases he was allowed to sit on the merits of the election and chose to sit for Tavistock in the Convention Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment from September 1660 to 1669. In 1661 he was again elected in double returns for both Bere Alston and Tavistock and chose Tavistock again in the Cavalier Parliament. He was portreeve at Bere Alston from 1661 to 1662. He was J.P. from after 1666 to 1669.