Skip to main content

Drake, Francis (1539/40 - 1595/6)

Tag this record

Born / Died

Birth Date: 1540-02 (possibly born March 1539/40)
Death Date: 1596-01-27

Notes

On numerous sailing expeditions 1560--73; circumnavigation of the globe 13 Dec. 1577--26 Sept. 1580; commander of expeditions to Spain and the West Indies 14 Sept. 1585--28 July 1586; to Cadiz, Portugal, and the Azores April--June 1589; and to the West Indies 28 Aug. 1595 (died on voyage)

Parents

Primary Title

  • Knight

Titles

  • Knight
    Assumed: 1581-04-04
    Vacated: 1595/6-01-27

General Lands Note

When young, lived with William Hawkins' family in Plymouth, Devon

Details of Offices

Began Ended Notes
MP, Cornwall 1572 Possibly sat for this constituency
MP, England 1580/1 Constituency unknown
Mayor, Devon 1581 -9 -17 1582
JP, Devon 1583
MP, Cornwall 1584
Vice Admiral, Devon 1586 -5 1588 Vice Admiral of Fleet against the Spanish Armada
JP, Cornwall 1591
MP, Devon 1593

Details of Properties

Residence

  • Plymouth, Devon
    House possibly in Notte Street
  • Buckland Abbey, Devon
    (Performance Venue)
    Acquired: 1581
    Divested: 1595/6-01
    Purchased from Sir Richard Grenville; in residence from this date
  • The Erber, London (city-county)
    (Performance Venue)
    Acquired: 1588-03
    Divested: 1593-05
    Leased

Lands

  • Devon: Plymouth properties
    Acquired: 1582-10-20
    Purchased
  • Devon: Sampford Spiney Manor
    Acquired: 1581
    Purchased
  • Devon: Sherford Manor
    Acquired: 1581/2-01-12
    Granted
  • Devon: Yarcombe Manor
    Acquired: 1582
    Purchased
  • Devon: Yealmpton

Event Naming Patron

Event Type Date Location Troupe
Performance? - Plymouth (Unknown), Plymouth, Devon Sir Francis Drake's Musicians

Patronized Troupes

Troupe Name Patron Troupe Type # of events
Sir Francis Drake's Musicians Drake, Francis (1540 - 1596) Musicians 1

Owned Venues

Venue Name County Type
Buckland Abbey Devon Private Residence
The Erber London (city-county) Private Residence

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

  • The Dictionary of National Biography. 1882–1901 (66 vols); 1908–9 (28 vols). 2 vols. London: Oxford UP, 1975
  • Hasler, P.W. The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1558–1603. 3 vols. London: HMSO, 1981
  • Kelsey, Harry. Sir Francis Drake: The Queen's Pirate. New Haven and London: Yale UP, 1998
  • Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
  • Youings, Joyce. 'Drake, Grenville and Buckland Abbey.'. Report and Transactions of the Devonshire Association 112 (1980): 95--9.