John Ratcliffe

John Ratcliffe (ca. 1611 – 13 January 1673) was an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1646 and 1673.

Life Ratcliffe was the son of John Ratcliffe, brewer and alderman of Chester and his second wife Jane (born Brerewood), daughter of Mary (born Parrey) and John Brerewood of Chester. He was educated at Queen's College, Oxford in 1628. In 1629, he entered Middle Temple. He succeeded his father in 1633 and was called to the bar in 1637.

In 1646, Ratcliffe was chosen recorder of Chester in 1646 He was later removed from his position as recorder because he refused the negative oath and was replaced in 1651 by Richard Haworth, a lawyer of Manchester. Haworth was unwilling to make Chester his permanent residence and he surrendered the office to Ratcliffe in 1656.

In 1660, Ratcliffe was elected MP for the City of Chester in the Convention Parliament. He was re-elected in 1661 as MP for Chester in the Cavalier Parliament

Ratcliffe married Dorothy and had at least two sons.