John Whistler

Who is John Whistler?

John Whistler was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1624 and 1644. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War.

Whistler was the son of Hugh Whistler of Milton Parva, Oxfordshire. He matriculated at Trinity College, Oxford on 14 October 1597 aged 17 and was awarded BA on 17 February 1601. He entered Gray's Inn on 4 May 1601 and was called to the bar in 1611. In 1622 he was made deputy recorder of Oxford to Thomas Wentworth.

In 1624, Whistler was elected Member of Parliament for Oxford. He was re-elected MP for Oxford in 1625, 1626 and 1628 and sat until 1629 when King Charles decided to rule without parliament for eleven years. He succeeded Wentworth as recorder of Oxford on his death in 1628.

In 1640 Whistler became treasurer of his Inn. He was elected MP for Oxford in April 1640 for the Short Parliament and again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. He supported the King and was disabled from sitting, probably in January 1644.