Richard Jennings

Who was Richard Jennings?

Richard Jennings or Jenyns, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1642 and 1668. He took the Parliamentary side in the Civil War. He was the father of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, who was confidant of Queen Anne.

Jennings succeeded his father, Sir John Jennings, as head of the family in August 1642, and took residence at Sandridge in Hertfordshire. He was also elected as Member of Parliament for St Albans in succession to his father in 1642. He fought for the parliamentary cause in the Civil War, and was captured by the Royalists and imprisoned for some time. As a moderate he was secluded from parliament under Pride's Purge in December 1648. He was re-elected MP for St Albans in Richard Cromwell's Third Protectorate Parliament in 1659. He took a leading role in the restored Long Parliament during the few weeks of 1660 when the secluded members resumed their seats, and was then elected MP for St Albans for the Convention Parliament. He was re-elected MP for St Albans in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament and sat until his death in 1668.