Background
He was born in 1549, the son of Sir Richard Morrison and Bridget Hussey, the daughter of John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford.
He was born in 1549, the son of Sir Richard Morrison and Bridget Hussey, the daughter of John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford.
He sat in the Parliament of England as Member of Parliament for Tavistock. Charles had three sisters, Jane, Elizabeth and Mary. Richard was a secretary in the royal court and in 1546 had been granted the manor of Cassiobury, former monastic lands that had been taken from the Abbey of Saint Albans during the Dissolution of the monasteries.
When Charles was only six years old, his father died, and he returned to England with his mother, Bridget.
Bridget married again, first to Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland in 1561 (who died in 1563). John Throckmorton was granted wardship of the young Charles in 1557, against the wishes of Richard, who had wanted Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk, who shared his religious views.
In 1566 Bridget was married again, to Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford. Charles was educated at Trinity College Cambridge, graduating in 1564, and at Grays Inn until 1566.
Charles was incorporated into the family of the Earl of Bedford and it was Bedford who encouraged Charles to take a seat in Parliament in 1576.
Parliamentary records show that he was appointed to the subsidy committee on 25 January 1581. He also held the offices of Justice of the Peace for Hertfordshire from c.1577, sheriff 1579-1580 and Keeper of Rockingham Forest in 1583. Charles Morrison died in 1599 when young Charles was only 12.
Bridget, now dowager Countess of Bedford, Henry, 6th Earl of Kent and Thomas, Lord Grey of Wilton were appointed as legal guardians.
Sir Charles Morrison was buried in the mortuary chapel of the Morrison and Essex families in Saint Mary"s Parish Church, Watford. His large, elaborate tomb was executed by Nicholas Stone, a celebrated sculptor of the day, and features a reclining effigy of Sir Charles in white marble, depicted with a Van Dyke beard and wearing armour and a large Elizabethan ruff round his neck with a helmet placed behind his legs.
Young Charles inherited his father"s properties in Bedfordshire, London and Cassiobury, Watford, and later became a member of parliament and 1st Baronet Morrison.