James Thurbarne facts for kids

James Thurbarne (born 1607, died 1688) was an English politician. He was a member of the English Parliament at different times between 1656 and 1679. He played an important role in the town of Sandwich, Kent, for many years.

Who Was James Thurbarne?

James Thurbarne was born in 1607. His father, also named James Thurbarne, was a lawyer from New Romney, Kent. His mother was Mary Estcourt. James followed in his father's footsteps and became a lawyer too.

Starting His Career

By 1642, James Thurbarne was working as a Jurat for Sandwich. A Jurat was like a town council member or a magistrate, helping to run the town. In the same year, he also became the Town Clerk for Sandwich. This meant he was in charge of keeping official records and managing the town's paperwork.

A Busy Politician

James Thurbarne was elected to the English Parliament several times.

• In 1656, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Sandwich in the Second Protectorate Parliament. However, he was not allowed to take his seat at that time.
• In 1658, he became the warden of St. Thomas's hospital in Sandwich.
• He was re-elected as an MP for Sandwich in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament.
• In 1659, he also joined the county committee for Kent, helping with local government.
• In 1660, he was elected MP for Sandwich again, this time for the Convention Parliament.
• In August 1660, he became a commissioner for assessment for Kent and Sandwich. This meant he helped collect taxes.

Challenges and Comebacks

James Thurbarne faced some challenges in his career:

• In November 1660, King Charles ordered that he be removed as a Jurat. But the people of Sandwich immediately re-elected him!
• In 1661, he was re-elected MP for Sandwich for the Cavalier Parliament.
• However, in 1662, he was officially removed from his roles as Jurat and Town Clerk by special commissioners.
• Despite this, he became the Mayor of Sandwich in 1665.
• He was then reinstated as Town Clerk and Jurat in 1667.

Later Years and Family

In 1679, James Thurbarne decided to step down from his role as MP for Sandwich. His son, John, took over his seat in Parliament.

James Thurbarne was married twice:

• His first marriage was to Ellen Jacob in 1635. They had two sons and one daughter.
• His second marriage was to Bennet Forster in 1658.

James Thurbarne passed away at the age of 80 in 1688. He was buried at S. Peter's Church in Sandwich on May 23, 1688.