Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Chicheley, John
CHICHELEY, Sir JOHN (d. 1691), rear-admiral, a lineal descendant in the eleventh, generation of William Chicheley or Chichele, sheriff of London, younger brother of Henry, archbishop of Canterbury [q. v.], entered the navy after the Restoration, and in 1663 was appointed captain of the Milford. In 1665 he commanded the Antelope, one of the red squadron in the action off the Texel, 3 June (Penn, Life of Fenn, ii. 317), and was shortly afterwards knighted. In 1666 he commanded the Fairfax, also in the red squadron, in the four days' fight off the North Foreland (S. P. Dom. Charles II, clvii. 99). In 1668 he commanded the Rupert, in the Mediterranean, with Sir Thomas Allin [q. v.], and on Allin's returning to England in 1670, remained, commanding in the second post under Sir Edward Spragge, and with the local rank of vice-admiral. In 1671 the squadron was withdrawn from the Mediterranean, and on the breaking out of the Dutch war in 1672, Cliicheley was appointed to command the Royal Catherine of 70 guns. In the battle of Solebay, the ship, newly commissioned and with a crew wholly undisciplined, was boarded and taken; afterwards, however, her men rose, overpowered the prize crew, and recovered the ship. In the following year Chicheley was advanced to be rear-admiral of the red, and with his flag in the Royal Charles took part in the several indecisive actions with the Dutch. In 1674 he had his flag flying for a short time on board the Phoenix; and in 1675 he was appointed one of the commissioners of the navy, an office which he held till 1680. In 1679 he was also appointed one of the commissioners for executing the office of master-general of the ordnance, and on 4 July 1681 was appointed one of the lords commissioners of the admiralty. He continued at the admiralty till May 1684, and on 5 March 1688-9 was again appointed a member of the board, from which he retired 5 June 1690. He died in May 1691, leaving a son John. In 1694 an Isabella Chicheley was corresponding on friendly terms with Sir Richard Haddock, then comptroller of the navy (Eg. MS. 2521, ff. 77, 79). Whether this was Sir John's widow or not, there seem no means of determining.
[Charnock's Biog. Navalis, i. 84; Luttrell's Relation of State Affairs, passim.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.64
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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| l.l. | Chicheley, Sir John: after 1690 insert He was tory M.P. for Newton, Lancashire, 1679-81, 1685-7, and 1689 till death |