Atkins was the son of John Atkins of
King's Lynn, Norfolk. He was an alderman of Norwich, and then an alderman of the
City of London for Bridge Without, from Lime Street. He was
Sheriff of London in 1637, and colonel of the
Red Regiment, London Trained Bands, in 1642. In April 1640, Atkins was elected
member of parliament for
Norwich in the
Short Parliament. He was imprisoned in the
Tower of London in May 1640 with three other aldermen –
Nicholas Rainton,
Thomas Soame and
John Gayre – for refusing to list the inhabitants of his ward who were able to contribute £50 or more to a loan for King Charles. During the Civil War he was colonel of the Norwich city militia. He was
Lord Mayor of London in 1644. He was Father of the City in 1658 and was discharged from his position as Alderman on 12 February 1661. ==References==