Peyton Ventris

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Sir Peyton Ventris (November 1645 – 6 April 1691) was an English judge and politician, the first surviving son of Edward Ventris (d. 1649) of the manor of Granhams in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, although he was born in Little Wenham, Suffolk.

Ventris entered Jesus College, Cambridge, on 4 July 1660 and proceeded, as his father had done before him, to the Middle Temple on 3 February 1664. He was called to the bar on 2 June 1671 and kept a chamber in Fleet Street above Middle Temple. Having begun noting cases while a student, he turned to reporting for his livelihood, enjoying little success as a pleader. The result was two volumes of reports, principally of arguments in king's bench and common pleas, published posthumously in 1696.

Ventris married Margaret Whiting, daughter of Henry a shipowner of Coggeshall, Essex, and of Ipswich, Suffolk. They had five sons and one daughter. Ventris established his family home in Ipswich, and in 1681 he became the town clerk and one of three counsels to the corporation. In July 1684 he lost these offices when his name was omitted from the town's new charter.

Despite losing his previous offices, Ventris was made a justice of the peace for Suffolk in 1685, and in 1687, he inherited extensive properties from his father-in-law.

Ventris came to prominence after 1688. He was chosen to one of Ipswich's seats in the Convention Parliament in January 1689. He took the oath as a serjeant-at-law on 2 May 1689, the king made him a justice of common pleas on 4 May 1689, and a knighthood followed on 31 October 1689.

After a long illness Ventris died on 6 April 1691 and was buried in the chancel of St Nicholas' Church, Ipswich, survived by his wife, his mother, five sons, and a daughter.

[edit] Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (requires subscription)

Parliament of England
Preceded by Nicholas Bacon and Sir John Barker	Member of Parliament for Ipswich with Sir John Barker 12 January 1689–May 1689	Succeeded by Sir Charles Blois and Sir John Barker