14 Facts About Richard Atherton

Sir Richard Atherton, was a Tory politician and an English Member of Parliament elected in 1671 representing Liverpool.

Richard Atherton resided at Bewsey Old Hall, Warrington and died in 1687.

Richard Atherton was 11th in descent from Sir William Atherton MP for the same county in 1381 and was the last Atherton in the male line to have been a member of parliament.

Richard Atherton was raised by his mother Mary Rawsthone.

Richard Atherton's father has been described as of the traditional political elite, a presbyterian, who had served as a Captain in the parliamentary army during the English Civil War and taken prisoner at the Battle of Marston Moor.

Richard Atherton, unlike his father was an Anglican and a High Tory.

Richard Atherton was educated at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1672 and Gray's Inn in 1675.

Richard Atherton was first elected as Member of Parliament for Liverpool in 1671, on the interest of Lord Molyneaux, but was unseated on petition.

Richard Atherton is said to have been a regular visitor to the Court of Charles II.

Richard Atherton secured the surrender of the Liverpool Charter, which was delivered to George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys, known as Judge Jeffreys at Bewsey Old Hall in 1684.

Richard Atherton was politically aligned to the young Earl of Derby, who had succeeded his father in the baronetcy at the age of one in 1672.

Richard Atherton inherited Bewsey Old Hall from his great-aunt, Dame Margaret Ireland, the widow of Gilbert Ireland upon her death in 1675.

Richard Atherton's grandmother was Eleanor Ireland, and like Dame Margaret, descended from Sir Thomas Ireland.

Richard Atherton received a knighthood months after the aftermath of the Rye House Plot of 1683, a period of trials and executions.