John George

Who was John George?

John George was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1626 and 1678.

George was the eldest surviving son of Robert George of Baunton and his wife Margaret Oldisworth, daughter of Edward Oldisworth of Gloucester. He was baptised on 15 September 1594. He was awarded BA from Magdalen Hall, Oxford on 6 July 1614. He entered Middle Temple on 1 July 1615 and was called to the bar on 23 May 1623. He was Lord of the Manor of Baunton and a J.P. and Deputy Lieutenant for Gloucestershire.

In 1626 George was elected Member of Parliament for Cirencester, and was re-elected in 1628 until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. In April 1640, he was re-elected MP for Cirencester in the Short Parliament and in November 1640 he was re-elected for the Long Parliament. In August 1642, he formed a garrison for Parliament at Cirencester, but was captured by Prince Rupert in the spring of 1643 and taken to Oxford. The Earl of Forth threatened to execute George if Colonel Fiennes, the parliamentary governor of Bristol, executed his prisoners.