About William Sammes
William Sammes was a judge.
William Sammes (died 1646) was an English lawyer and Judge of the High Court of Admiralty.
He was awarded the degree of Legum Doctor from Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1595 and spent the next four decades in private legal practice, until the outbreak of the First English Civil War in the early 1640s. In 1643 the sole Admiralty Court judge, Richard Zouch, was dismissed from office by Oliver Cromwell on suspicion of being a Royalist sympathiser. Cromwell's Lord High Admiral, Robert Rich, appointed Sammes as "acting Judge" in Zouch's place, and confirmed him as the permanent officeholder in 1644.
Sammes held office until his death in October 1646. He was buried at St Benet's Church, Paul's Wharf.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Sammes?
English judge from 1643-1646
When did William Sammes die?
William Sammes died in 1646.
What was William Sammes's occupation?
William Sammes was a judge.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Sammes (judge)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Sammes. https://biography.guide/william-sammes/
MLA: "William Sammes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-sammes/.
Chicago: "William Sammes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-sammes/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:20 UTC