Francis Bacon (30 September 1600 – c. September 1663) was an English politician who served intermittently in the House of Commons between 1645 and 1660. He was a member of the parliamentary faction during the English Civil War.
Early life and education
Bacon was born on 30 September 1600, the son of Sir Edward Bacon of Shrubland Hall, Barham, Suffolk. His paternal grandfather was Sir Nicholas Bacon, who served as Keeper of the Great Seal under Queen Elizabeth I. He was educated at Queens’ College, Cambridge.
Political career
- Long Parliament (1645–1653): Bacon was elected MP for Ipswich in 1645, joining the Long Parliament.
- Protectorate Parliaments (1654–1660): He retained the Ipswich seat in the First Protectorate Parliament of 1654 and was subsequently re‑elected for the Second (1656) and Third (1659) Protectorate Parliaments.
- Convention Parliament (April 1660): Following the fall of the Protectorate, Bacon was returned again for Ipswich to the Convention Parliament that oversaw the Restoration of Charles II.
Throughout his parliamentary service, Bacon supported the Parliamentary (Roundhead) cause against the Royalist faction in the English Civil War.
Family and personal life
Bacon married Katherine Wingfield, daughter of Sir Thomas Wingfield of Letheringham, Suffolk. The couple had six sons—four of whom predeceased their father—and two daughters. His brother, Nathaniel Bacon, was also a noted politician.
Death
Francis Bacon died around September 1663, aged approximately 62–63.
Legacy
Bacon’s career exemplifies the role of a mid‑17th‑century English gentry politician who navigated the tumultuous period of civil war, republican experiment, and the Restoration, representing the borough of Ipswich across multiple parliamentary regimes.
