Sir Thomas Colby, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir Thomas Colby, 1st Baronet (born around 1670 – died 23 September 1729) was an English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a main part of the British Parliament, from 1724 to 1727.
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Early Life and Family Background
Thomas Colby was the son of Philip Colby (1638–1692) and Elizabeth Flewellin. His father became very wealthy by supplying a lot of clothing to the army of King William III. This wealth helped the family. Thomas Colby lived in a grand home called Colby House, which was likely rebuilt around 1713.
Becoming a Baronet and Wealth
On 21 June 1720, Thomas Colby was given the title of baronet. This meant he became "Sir Thomas Colby, 1st Baronet, of Kensington". He was known for being extremely rich, with most of his money invested in stocks. Some people, like the writer William King, even used him as an example of someone who loved money too much.
Political Career
Sir Thomas Colby worked as a Navy Commissioner, helping to manage the British Navy. He also served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the town of Rochester. He held this important political position from 1724 to 1727.
Death and Estate
Sir Thomas Colby never married and died in September 1729. There was a story that he died because he was so worried about a bottle of port wine that he got up in the middle of the night. When he died, his baronet title ended because he had no children to pass it on to.
He was buried with a grand ceremony in his family's burial place. People first thought he died without a will, which caused a big argument over his large estate, said to be worth nearly £200,000 (a huge amount of money back then!). However, he had written a will, planning to leave his house and property in Kensington to a relative named Thomas Colby. But he forgot to sign or date it. Because of this, the will was not valid. His cousin, Flewellin Apsley, was given control of the estate, and the money was divided among his other relatives.
