Henry Huncks

English soldier

Sir Henry Huncks

Governor of Nevis
In office 1637–1638
Preceded by	Thomas Spurrow
Succeeded by	James Jennings
Governor of Barbados
In office June 1640 – 1641
Preceded by	Henry Hawley
Succeeded by	Philip Bell

Personal details
Born	c. 1595
Nationality	English
Occupation	Soldier

Sir Henry Huncks (born c. 1595) was an English soldier who was briefly governor of Barbados from 1640 to 1641.^[1] During the English Civil War, he was a lieutenant colonel in the army, fighting on the Cavalier side in support of the king.

Early years

Henry Huncks was the son of Sir Thomas Huncks and Catherine Conway, sister of Edward Conway, 1st Viscount Conway, the Secretary of State for Kings James I and Charles I.^[1] He was governor of Nevis from 1637 to 1638, replacing Thomas Spurrow. He was succeeded in this post by James Jennings.^[2]

Barbados

Sergeant-Major Henry Huncks was appointed Governor of Barbados in March 1639, and his appointment was confirmed by the King. When he arrived in Barbados in July 1639 he found that his predecessor Henry Hawley was refused to give up power. Hawley had disputed that James Hay, 2nd Earl of Carlisle, was owner of the island, and had set up a parliament which proclaimed Hawley as governor. Huncks was threatened with death if he demanded the government, and was forced to leave, sailing to Antigua.^[3] Huncks served as governor of Antigua for six months.^[4] One of his opponents called Huncks "a drunken, vindictive tyrant." He was accused of raping a female colonist.^[5]

In June 1640, commissioners from King Charles arrived in Barbados "in the business between the Earl of Carlisle and Captain Hawley." Hawley resigned the government, acknowledged his offense, and submitted to the commissioners, who had him taken to England in custody. Henry Huncks was brought back from Antigua and assumed office.^[6] He was immediately engaged in controversy. Captain James Futter asked Judge Read "in open Court, If all whore-masters were taken off the Bench, what would the Governor [Henry Huncks] do for a Council?"^[7] Huncks sided with the planters against Peter and John Hay, who were charged with collecting rents on behalf of Lord Carlisle. At one point he threatened to make Peter Hay "shorter by the heade." Later he and his council threw Peter Hay in prison. However, it may have been due to the Hays' petitions that Huncks was recalled.^[8] On 18 June 1641 he handed over to Captain Philip Bell, a former Governor of Bermuda and then of Old Providence.^[6]

Later career

Henry Huncks returned to England, where he fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel of foot in the Earl of Northampton's Regiment on 16 November 1641. He was knighted by King Charles I on 1 January 1642, at Oxford. On 22 March 1642 he was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Banbury Castle.^[9] In May 1643, complaints were made of Huncks on suspicion of corresponding with the rebels, and he was sent to render an account to the king.^[10] His mother died in 1646, and Henry Huncks became involved in a legal dispute with Henry Viscount Conway over assignment of £500 that she had left in her will.^[11]

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b Burke & Burke 1848, p. 422.
^ Stewart 1996, p. 187.
^ Davis 1887, p. 56.
^ Parker 2011, p. 37.
^ Stuart 2012, p. 32.
^ ^a ^b Davis 1887, p. 57.
^ Bridenbaugh & Bridenbaugh 1972.
^ Bliss 1993, p. 33.
^ Toynbee & Young 1973, p. 166.
^ Prince Rupert 1849, p. 507.
^ Calendar of State Papers.

Sources

Bliss, Robert M. (1993). Revolution and Empire: English Politics and the American Colonies in the Seventeenth Century. Manchester University Press ND. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7190-4209-6. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Bridenbaugh, Carl; Bridenbaugh, Roberta (1972). No peace beyond the line: the English in the Caribbean, 1624-1690. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195014891. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Burke, John; Burke, Bernard (1848). The Royal Families of England, Scotland, and Wales: With Their Descendants, Sovereigns and Subjects. E. Churton. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series. 1886. p. 377. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Davis, Nicholas Darnell (1887). The Cavaliers & Roundheads of Barbados, 1650-1652: With Some Account of the Early History of Barbados. Argosy Press. p. 56. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Parker, Matthew (2011-08-23). The Sugar Barons: Family, Corruption, Empire, and War in the West Indies. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-8027-7799-7. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Prince Rupert (1849). Memoirs of Prince Rupert, and the cavaliers: Including their private correspondence, now first published from the original manuscripts. R. Bentley. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Stewart, John (1996). The British Empire: an encyclopedia of the Crown's holdings, 1493 through 1995. McFarland & Co. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-7864-0177-2. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Stuart, Andrea (2012-05-03). Sugar in the Blood: A Family's Story of Slavery and Empire. Granta Publications. ISBN 978-1-84627-438-1. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
Toynbee, Margaret; Young, Peter (1973-01-01). Strangers in Oxford: a side light on the first Civil War, 1642-1646. Phillimore. ISBN 978-0-85033-035-9. Retrieved 2012-09-13.