Edward Abney

Sir Edward Abney (6 February 1631 – 3 January 1727/28) was an English politician.

Abney was born in Newton, Leicestershire, the son of James Abney of Willesley, then in Derbyshire, now in Leicestershire, who had been Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1656. His younger brother was Thomas Abney, later Sir Thomas Abney, Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London. Edward was educated at Ashby School, Measham school and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1652-3. He was a Fellow of Christ's College from 1655 to 1661. Knighted in 1673, he served as MP for Leicester Borough from 1690 to 1698.^[1]

He was blind for the last twenty years of his life, dying in 1727/8. He had married twice; firstly Damaris, the daughter of Thomas Andrewes, with whom he had a son and three daughters and secondly Judith, daughter and coheiress of Peter Barr, merchant, of London, with whom he had two sons. His estate was left to Thomas, the younger son of his second marriage, the elder being considered insane.^[2]

References

1. "Abney, Edward (ABNY649E)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
2. "ABNEY, Sir Edward (1631-1728), of Willesley Hall, Leics. and Portugal Row, Lincoln's Inn Fields". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 2012-03-27.