William Barne (died 1619)


Sir William Barne was an English landowner and politician from Kent.

Origins

He was the eldest son of Sir George Barne, of Woolwich, and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir William Garrard. His father, a London merchant, had been Lord Mayor of London and an MP for the City of London.

Life

As his father's heir in 1592, he became a Kent landowner and was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the county from 1596. Before then, he was elected to the 1593 Parliament as MP for Great Grimsby. He was knighted in 1603.
Apart from his one foray into national politics and some work for the government, he seems to have spent his life participating in county affairs and managing his lands in Woolwich, Plumstead and Bexley. He also developed literary friendships, among his correspondents being John Chamberlain, Sir Dudley Carleton and Sir Henry Savile.

Family

In 1586, when he was about 24, he married Anne, daughter of Edwin Sandys, the Archbishop of York, and his wife Cecily, daughter of Sir Thomas Wilford and half-sister of Sir James Wilford. Their children included:
After his death, his widow married Edward Pulter.