John Thurloe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Thurloe
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| Secretary of State to the Protectorate's Council of State | |
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| Born | 1616 Essex |
| Died | 1668 Lincoln's Inn |
| Profession | Politician |
John Thurloe (born June 1616 – died February 1668) was an important English politician. He worked as a secretary for the government during a time called the Protectorate in England. He was also a spymaster for Oliver Cromwell, who was the leader of England then. From 1655 to 1660, he was in charge of the mail as Postmaster General. He came from Great Milton in Oxfordshire.
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Where Did John Thurloe Come From?
John Thurloe was born in Essex, England, in 1616. He was baptised on June 12th that year. His father was Reverend Thomas Thurloe, who was a church leader in a place called Abbess Roding.
John Thurloe's Political Career
John Thurloe trained to be a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn in London. He first worked for Oliver St John, who was a legal advisor to King Charles I. In 1645, Thurloe became a secretary for the Parliament's representatives. They were meeting to discuss peace at the Treaty of Uxbridge.
Working for Oliver Cromwell
Thurloe stayed out of the main fighting during the English Civil War. But after Oliver Cromwell became the leader of England, Thurloe joined his government. In 1651, Thurloe went with Oliver St John to the Netherlands. They wanted to suggest that England and the Dutch Republic join together. In 1652, Thurloe was made a secretary for the state.
Becoming a Spymaster
In 1653, John Thurloe became the head of intelligence for England. This meant he was in charge of spies. He built a large network of spies both in England and in other countries.
His spy network included people like the Dutch diplomat Lieuwe van Aitzema. It also included the mathematician John Wallis, who helped break secret codes. Another assistant was Samuel Morland, who was also a diplomat and mathematician.
Thurloe's spy service was very successful. They uncovered a secret group of Royalists called the Sealed Knot. They also found out about many other plans against Cromwell's government. In 1654, Thurloe was chosen to be a member of Parliament for Ely. He even supported the idea of Cromwell becoming king.
Postmaster General and Later Years
In 1655, Thurloe became the Postmaster General. This job meant he oversaw the mail system. He used this position to intercept letters, which helped his spy work. For example, he exposed a plan by Edward Sexby in 1657 to harm Cromwell. He also captured Miles Sindercombe and his group, who wanted to do the same.
Thurloe held the Postmaster General job until May 1660. After Oliver Cromwell died in 1658, Thurloe supported Cromwell's son, Richard Cromwell, as the new leader. In 1659, he represented Cambridge University in Parliament. Later that year, he lost his government jobs. However, he was put back in charge as a secretary of state in February 1660. He tried to prevent King Charles II from returning to power.
After the Monarchy Returned
When the monarchy was brought back in England, a time called the Restoration, Thurloe was arrested. This happened on May 15, 1660, for a very serious crime against the government. However, he was never put on trial. He was released on June 29, but only if he promised to help the new government if they asked.
After this, he stopped working in public life. But he still helped the government behind the scenes. He gave advice on foreign affairs and wrote important papers for Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. He did not join the new government officially.
John Thurloe's Family Life
John Thurloe was married two times.
- His first wife was from the Peyton family. They had two sons, but both died when they were babies.
- His second wife was Anne Lytcott. She was the third daughter of Sir John Lytcott. With Anne, John Thurloe had four sons and two daughters.
His Children and Grandchildren
- John Thurloe was his oldest son. He became a lawyer but died in Amesbury.
- Oliver Thurloe was his second son. He got married but did not have any children.
- Thomas Thurloe was his third son, born in 1651. He became the Governor of James Island in Gambia, where he later died.
- Nicholas Thurloe was his fourth son. He worked at sea.
- Mary Thurloe was his oldest daughter. She married Thomas Ligoe and had children named Thomas and Eleanor.
- Anne Thurloe was his second daughter. She married Francis Brace and had children. One of their sons, John Thurlow Brace, became a Member of Parliament.
Death and Burial
John Thurloe died on February 21, 1668. He passed away in his rooms at Lincoln's Inn. He was buried in the chapel there. His tombstone has a message about him.
His letters and other writings are kept in the Bodleian Library in Oxford and the British Museum.
Land and Property
John Thurloe owned several large estates, called manors. These included Whittlesey St Mary's and Whittlesey St Andrew's. He also owned land in Buckinghamshire. He bought the Wisbech Castle estate. He sold some of the land and built a large house there. This house was built just before the monarchy returned. After the Restoration, the estate was given back to the Bishop of Ely.
Places in South Kensington, London, are named after him. These include Thurloe Square, Thurloe Street, and Thurloe Place. They were built in the 1820s on land he used to own.
John Thurloe's Legacy
Besides building his mansion in Wisbech, John Thurloe also gave money to his community. In 1658, he gave £50 to buy books for the church library. He also gave £50 to build a road. He gave £150, which was used to help poor children learn a trade.
A painting of Thurloe is at the Wisbech & Fenland Museum. You can also see a photo of it on the National Portrait Gallery website. There is also a Thurloe Close in Wisbech.
John Thurloe in Stories
John Thurloe appears as a character in several books and TV shows:
- He is a character in the Thomas Chaloner mystery novels by Susanna Gregory.
- He is also in the Edmund Godfrey mystery novels by Mark Francis.
- He is a key character in the historical novel Traitor's Field by Robert Wilton.
- He is a recurring character in the BBC TV series By the Sword Divided.
- He is featured in the historical novel An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears.
- He is a character in the play Cromwell by Victor Hugo.
- He is a recurring character in "The Seeker" historical crime series by S. G. MacLean.
