Roger Flower or Flore (died 1427) was an English politician, twelve times MP for Rutland and four times Speaker of the House of Commons.^[1]

Life

He was son of William Flower, sheriff of Rutland for 1383, by Elena his wife. He was returned to parliament as Knight of the Shire for the county of Rutland in 1396–7, again in 1399, 1402, 1404, and 1413–14. He was one of the feoffees of the Brigittine nunnery founded by Henry V at Syon in 1414. Still representing the county of Rutland, he was chosen speaker of the House of Commons four times—in 1416, 1417, 1419, and 1422, something unprecedented except in the case of Thomas Chaucer.

He was a lawyer with considerable private and public interests. In 1416 he was made chief steward of the Duchy of Lancaster estates north of the Trent. Besides his ancestral manor of Oakham in Rutland, he held estates in Leicestershire. He was appointed Sheriff of Rutland for 1407 and 1412.

The probate of his will was dated 20 June 1428; Flower had died by 12 November 1427.

Family

His first wife was Catherine, daughter and heiress of William Dalby of Exton. His second wife, Cecile, daughter of Anneys Sainon, survived him. He had five sons, Thomas, Robert, Roger, John, and William, and two daughters, Anneys and Joan, the latter being married to Sir Henry Plesyngton of Burley in Rutland, grandson of Sir Robert Plesyngton, chief baron of the exchequer in the reign of Richard II.

His eldest son and heir Thomas was twice MP for Rutland and six times Sheriff of Rutland.

The family home, called Flore's House, is a prominent listed building on High Street, Oakham.^[2]

References

Roger Flore of Oakham by J. S. Roskell
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Flower, Roger". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Political offices Preceded byWalter Beauchamp Speaker of the House of Commons 1416–1419 Succeeded byRoger Hunt Preceded byRichard Baynard Speaker of the House of Commons 1422 Succeeded bySir John Russell

Speakers of the House of Commons

House of Commons
of England

14th century	de Shareshull De la Mare Hungerford De la Mare Pickering Guildesborough Waldegrave Pickering Bussy Cheney Doreward Savage Redford Savage
15th century	Esturmy Tiptoft Chaucer Stourton Doreward Hungerford Chaucer Redman Beauchamp Flower Hunt Chaucer Baynard Flower Russell Walton Vernon Tyrell Alington, Sr. Tyrell Russell Hunt Bowes Tyrell Burley W. Tresham Burley W. Tresham Say Popham I W. Tresham Oldhall Thorpe Charlton Wenlock T. Tresham Green Strangeways Say Alington Jr. Wood Catesby Lovell Mordaunt Fitzwilliam Empson Drury Englefield
16th century	Dudley Englefield Sheffield Nevill More Audley Wingfield Rich Hare Moyle Baker Dyer Pollard Broke Higham Cordell Gargrave T. Williams Onslow Wray Bell Popham II Puckering Snagge Coke Yelverton
17th century	Croke Phelips R. Crewe Richardson T. Crewe H. Finch J. Finch Glanville Lenthall Pelham Lenthall Rous (Barebones Parliament) Lenthall Widdrington (2nd Protectorate Parliament) Chute, Long & Bampfield (3rd Protectorate Parliament) Lenthall Grimston Turnour Charlton Seymour Sawyer Seymour Gregory W. Williams Trevor Powle Trevor Foley Littleton
18th century	Harley Smith

House of Commons
of Great Britain

18th century	Smith R. Onslow Bromley Hanmer Compton A. Onslow Cust Norton Cornwall Grenville Addington

House of Commons
of the United Kingdom

19th century	Addington Mitford Abbot Manners-Sutton Abercromby Shaw-Lefevre Denison Brand Peel Gully
20th century	Lowther Whitley FitzRoy Brown Morrison Hylton-Foster King Lloyd Thomas Weatherill Boothroyd Martin
21st century	Martin Bercow Hoyle