Sir Francis Drake, 3rd Baronet

Sir Francis Drake, 3rd Baronet (1642 - 1718) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1673 and 1700.

Drake was the son of Thomas Drake and his wife Susan Crimes, daughter of William Crimes, of Buckland Crimes and was baptised on 1 May 1642, at Buckland. His father, who was son of the first baronet, was a major of horse in the Parliamentary army. Drake succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his uncle Sir Francis Drake, 2nd Baronet on 6 June 1661.^[1] He matriculated at Exeter College, Oxford on 3 June 1663, aged 16 and was awarded MA on 28 September. 1663.^[2]

In 1673, Drake was elected Member of Parliament for Tavistock in a by-election to the Cavalier Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Tavistock in the two elections of 1679 and in 1681. He was next elected MP for Tavistock in 1689 and was re-elected in 1690. He was elected MP for Tavistock yet again 1696 and 1698.^[3]

Drake died at the age of about 75 at Meavy where he was buried on 15 January 1718.^[1]

Drake married firstly on 6 February 1665, at Beere Ferrers Dorothy Bampfylde, daughter of Sir John Bampfylde, 1st Baronet and his wife Gertrude Copleston, daughter of Amyas Copleston of Warleigh. She died without issue and was buried at Buckland on 30 January 1679. He married secondly by licence dated 21 October 1680, Anne Boone, daughter of John Boone of Mount Boone, Devon. She died without issue and was buried on 22 December 1685, at Buckland. His third wife by licence dated 17 February 1690 was Elizabeth Pollexfen, daughter of Sir Henry Pollexfen, of Nutwell Court, Devon, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and his wife Mary Duncombe, daughter of George Duncombe of Shalford, Surrey. She was buried on 25 March 1717, at Meavy.^[1]

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