Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet, of London
Sir Richard Browne, 1st Baronet was a major-general in the English Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was subsequently Lord Mayor of London.
Browne was born sometime prior to 1616, to John Browne of Wokingham in Berkshire and his wife, Anne Beard. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Woodmongers in 1634.
In June 1644 Browne became a major general for the parliamentary Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Regiments and set up his headquarters at Abingdon in order to harass the King's men at nearby Oxford. He was at the Siege of Oxford and received King Charles upon his hand-over by the Scots. He was elected Member of Parliament for Wycombe in October 1645. He became an alderman of the City of London for Langbourn ward on 29 June 1648 and was Sheriff of the City of London to 11 December 1649. He was secluded under Pride's Purge in December 1648, and was imprisoned for a period after being accused of conspiracy with the Scots.
Browne was elected MP for City of London in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament. He was admitted to the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors on 10 December 1656. He was re-elected MP for the City of London in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament. He became disillusioned with the protectorate and was one of those who called for the return of the monarchy. In April 1660 he was elected MP for the City of London for the Convention Parliament. He met Charles II at the head of his triumphal procession into London.
Browne was knighted in March 1660 and created a baronet on 22 July 1660. He became alderman for Langbourn ward again in 1660 and was elected Lord Mayor of London in 1660. He was instrumental in putting down Venner's Rising of 1–4 January 1661, leading the Yellow Regiment of the London Trained Bands. In 1661 he was elected MP for Ludgershall in the Cavalier Parliament and sat until his death in 1669.
Browne lived at Debden Manor, near Saffron Walden, in Essex which he had purchased before May 1662. He died intestate at Debden on 24 September 1669. He had children: Sir Richard Browne and Sir John Browne
