Bingley, Sir John (d. 1638?), administrator, possibly a Chester relative of Sir Ralph Bingley, served in Dublin from c.1599 as deputy to the treasurer at war. As secretary (1 June 1603–2 February 1605) to Sir George Carey (qv), lord deputy, he allegedly enriched himself, and certainly secured extended leases to Connacht and Kildare property, fishing rights in west Donegal, market rights in Cavan and Boyle, and additional posts. Returning to England, he became auditor of the lower exchequer and writer of tallies, built up commercial contacts, and from 1614 was chief accomplice in the earl of Suffolk's corrupt treasury administration. Within a year of being knighted (17 January 1618) he was accused of major misappropriations (particularly affecting the army in Ireland), and in November 1619 was fined £2,000, imprisoned, and ordered to make full restitution. However, he was pardoned in November 1622, and his reputation for impartial knowledge of Ireland gained him several important roles.
In early 1627 the post of comptroller of musters and cheques of the army in Ireland was revived for him; he was a key member of the royal commission investigating the Londonderry plantation (1628–32) in close association with Sir Thomas Phillips (qv), and of an inquiry into fees and offices (1630); and in 1628–9 he and James Ware (qv) reported to the English privy council on the state of Irish institutions – Bingley found the established clergy negligent and ‘very profane and drunken fellows’ (CSPI, 1625–32, 422–3) to be confronting resurgent catholicism. He married (1617) Elizabeth, widow of Sir John Grey and daughter of Edward Nevill, Lord Abergavenny, and died before 17 November 1638.