Ratcliffe Gerard

Ratcliffe Gerard (c.1584 – in or before 1670) of Halsall, Lancashire was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War.

Biography

Ratcliffe and Gilbert were twin sons of Ratcliffe Gerard,^{[lower-alpha 1]} and Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir Charles Somerset.^{[lower-alpha 2]}

Gerard and his two sons, Gilbert and John, joined the Royalist army. Ratcliffe was a lieutenant-colonel in twin brother's regiment. He was in Raglan Castle at its surrender in 1646, and was one of the few English Royalists to take up arms for Charles II in 1651 and was captured at the Battle of Wigan Lane. In 1658 he was known to be a non-Catholic Royalist activist in Lancashire.^[2]

Family

Gerard married Jennet Barret, daughter of Edward Barret, of Pembrokeshire.^[1] They had several children including:^[2]

• Gilbert (died 1687) who was created Baronet of Fiskerton
• John (1632–1654), who was executed for his part in Gerard's conspiracy^[3]
• Charles (born 1635)^[3]

Notes

1. Ratcliffe Gerard the elder, was the younger son of Gilbert Gerard (died 1593) and Ann, daughter of Thomas Ratcliffe of Winmarleigh and of Isabel Boteler.^[1]
2. Sir Charles Somerset K.B. fifth son, of Henry, Earl of Worcester.^[1]

1. Burke & Burke 1838, p. 217.
2. Porter 2004.
3. Keightley 1841, p. 128.

References

• Burke, John; Burke, Sir John Bernard (1838). "Gerard, of Fiskerton". A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies. p. 217–218.
• Porter, Stephen (2004). "Gerard, John (1632–1654)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/10557. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
• Keightley, Thomas (1841). The History of England: From the Earliest Period to 1839 4. Harper & brothers. pp. 127–128.