Peregrine Pelham, d.1650
Regicide merchant and MP for Hull who signed the King's death warrant.
A prosperous merchant of Hull, Peregrine Pelham was appointed town sheriff in 1636, and elected to the Long Parliament as MP for Hull in January 1641. He supported Sir John Hotham in his refusal to allow King Charles to enter the city in April 1642, thus securing the northern arsenal for Parliament. In July, Pelham was present in Hull when it was besieged by the King during the opening stages of the English Civil War. Later in 1642, a quarrel broke out between Pelham and Hotham. Pelham was obliged to answer before Parliament Hotham's accusation that he had tried to subvert the town. He had his revenge two years later when Hotham and his son were arrested for plotting to betray Hull to the Royalists. Pelham endorsed the death sentence passed upon them at their trial.
During the Second Civil War (1648), Pelham organised the defences of Hull against possible attack by the warships whose crews had declared for the King.
Pelham supported the King's trial and was an enthusiastic commissioner on the High Court of Justice and signatory of the King's death warrant. He became mayor of Hull In September 1649, but died in 1650.
Sources:
Andrew J. Hopper, Peregrine Pelham , Oxford DNB, 2004
