Anthony Keck (Tiverton MP)

Keck was born at Mickleton, Gloucestershire and was baptised on 28 March 1630. He was the fifth son of Nicholas Keck,[2] originally of Marston Sicca, (Long Marston) Gloucestershire, and also of Swalcliffe in Oxfordshire. His mother was Margaret Morris, daughter of John Morris of Bretforton, Worcestershire.[3] The Kecks were one of the significant families in Marston Sicca in the 1500s and 1600s. In 1577 Anthony's grandfather, John Keck, with John Tomes, both yeomen, purhased the land and Manor of Long Marston, (but not the title) from the Earl of Leicester for £1180,58s 4d. [4]

Keck was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1653, called to the bar in 1659, and was elected a bencher (a member of the governing body) in 1677.[5] He developed a flourishing chancery practice. During the Popish Plot, he acted as counsel for William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, who was executed for treason in 1680, and made something of a name for himself in cases before the House of Lords. He published, anonymously, a series of law reports in 1697.[1]

On 4 March 1689, he was named Commissioner of the Great Seal with Sir John Maynard and Serjeant Rawlinson by the new King William III – these commissioners replaced the notorious Judge Jeffreys as Lord Chancellor, who fled as James II left the country. Knighted the next day, Keck held office till 14 May 1690: his decision to step down was described as a great act of self-denial.[1]

He also served as MP for Tiverton from 1691. Despite being almost crippled by gout, he played a keen part in debates, but he developed a very poor opinion of the House of Commons, calling it "a bear garden", poorly attended, and with most of the MPs who did attend being drunk or asleep. He did not stand for election in 1695, probably due to his failing health.[1]

Roger North wrote that Keck had "raised himself by his wits" and described him as a republican by inclination who would settle in default for a monarchy held in check. In character he was "a polite, merry genius", apart from a certain "hardness" caused by his chronic gout. [1]

The Chandos portrait, thought to be of William Shakespeare, which was owned by Keck's granddaughter Margaret, Duchess of Chandos

On 11 June 1660, Keck married Mary Thorne, daughter of Francis Thorne. He died a very rich man, although he had to provide for one son and no less than nine daughters, including:

• Francis Keck (d. 1728), who married Jane Dunch.[6][7]
• Catherine Keck, who married the Hon. Ferdinando Tracy (d. 1682) in 1680. Tracy, a younger son of John Tracy, 3rd Viscount Tracy. After his death in 1682, she married Edward Chute, who inherited the famous country house The Vyne, Hampshire.
• Mary Keck, who married Thomas Vernon of Hanbury Hall, MP for Worcestershire, in 1680.
• Elizabeth Keck (d. 1699), who married Richard Freeman, a barrister who ended his career as Lord Chancellor of Ireland.[8]
• Ann Keck, who married Richard Whitehead.
• Margaret Keck, who married Thomas Barber.
• Macrina Keck, who married Edward Cressenor.[9]
• Martha Keck, who married Edward Cressenor after the death of Macrina in 1697
• Winifred Keck (d. 1740), who married John Nicholl of Colney Hatch.[10]
• Anthonina Keck (unmarried)

Keck died in his house in Bell Yard, Chancery Lane, off the Strand in December 1695.[11] and was buried at Blunsdon in Wiltshire. He left property in Drury Lane, Fulham, Hampstead, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire to his only son Francis, with provision to lay out £29,000 on further purchases of lands for him.[1]