1656   

12th. June Thursday
Charles Worsley, of Platt, died 12th June, aged 35. He was the son of Ralph Worsley, and was born at Platt in 1622, and in 1644 became a captain in the Parliamentary army. After the execution of Charles I he was promoted to the rank of lieut.-colonel. In 1650 he went with his regiment into Scotland to help Cromwell, but arrived too late to be of service. In 1652 he was appointed to the command of Cromwell's own regiment of foot, and in October of that year he proceeded to London. On the 20th April, 1653, Cromwell forcibly dissolved the Rump Parliament, when Worsley, with some soldiers, cleared the House and took the mace away, and caused the House to be locked up. He kept the mace in his possession, and on the 8th July, 1653, the Barebone's Parliament ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to repair to Lieutenant-Colonel Worsley for the mace, and bring it to the House. In September, 1654, when a parliamentary representative was first given to Manchester, he was elected, and thus became the first member for Manchester. The parliament was dismissed in January, 1655. In October, 1655, he was appointed Major-General, with powers equal to those of a viceroy, of a district consisting of Lancashire, Cheshire, and Staffordshire. He was summoned to a conference with Cromwell in May, 1656, but died soon after his arrival at St. James's Palace, where apartments had been assigned to his family. He was buried in Henry VII's Chapel, in Westminster Abbey, 13th June, and his remains escaped the outrages inflicted on the other republican leaders. (Espinasse's Lancashire Worthies; Booker's Birch Chapels, vol. i.)(7)

12th. August Tuesday Manchester
Richard Ratcliffe, of the Lodge, in Pool Fold, returned a member of Parliament for Manchester, August 12.(7)

11th. September Thursday London
"September 11, 1656. Mr Richard Heyrick was prisoner in London; and Mr. Herle, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Angier, Mr. Hollinworth, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Gee, Mr. Latham, Mr. Taylor, Mr. Meeke."(7)

11th. November Tuesday Manchester
Richard Hollinworth, fellow of the Collegiate Church, and author of Mancuniensis, died Novenber 11, when a fast and prayer was offered for guidance as to his successor, who was the Rev. Henry Newcome. Hollinworth was born in Manchester in 1607. (see Manchester Foundations, vol. i.)(7)

1656. Manchester-Radcliffe
Richard Radcliffe (of Radcliffe) elected member for Manchester.(9)