Sir Gilbert Gerard (died 4 February 1593) was Attorney-General to Elizabeth I for over twenty years, who later became Master of the Rolls.
He was born the son of James Gerard of Astley and Ince Hall, Lancashire, who was descended from the ancient family of Bryn, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire. Gilbert spent some time at the University of Cambridge but did not graduate.[1] He entered Gray's Inn in 1537 and was called to the bar in 1539, serving as Treasurer in 1556. He was a cousin of the distinguished judge and administrator Sir William Gerard, who ended his career as Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
He was returned as MP for Liverpool in 1545, MP for Wigan in 1553 and 1555, MP for Steyning, Sussex in 1554 and MP for Wigan again 1n 1555. On the accession of Elizabeth I, he was appointed Attorney-General and served in this role for over twenty years, helping to reform court procedure in Ireland amongst other tasks, but not playing a large role in policy-making. He sat as a judge on trials including that of John Hales in 1564. Three years later, he helped Matthew Parker, the Archbishop of Canterbury, in reforming Merton College, Oxford. In 1570, he was a member of a commission trying participants in the northern uprising, and in 1571 he was thanked by Cambridge University for his work in securing the passage of an Act of Parliament confirming the charters and privileges of the university. He also assisted the prosecution of Duke of Norfolk in connection with the Ridolfi plot.[2]
He was knighted in 1579 but was passed over for the position of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal in the same year. In 1581, he became Master of the Rolls, and although his period of office was not a success, this may not have been due to personal failings. He was elected to Parliament as knight of the shire for Lancashire in 1584 but wa soon obliged to resign because of his duties as Master of the Rolls in the House of Lords.
His family from Hilderstone, Staffordshire were staunchly Catholic including his grandson Richard Gerard of Hilderstone who died in Newgate Prison in 1580. He was involved in further treason trials in later years.
He died on 4 February 1593 and was buried in Ashley, Staffordshire.[2] He had estates at Gerrards Bromley where he built Gerrards Bromley Hall in 1575 and at Hilderstone, Staffordshire. He had married Ann Ratcliffe who inherited Damhouse in Astley and their son Thomas was created the first Baron Gerard of Gerrard's Bromley in 1603.