Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham facts for kids
Sir Thomas Palmer, 4th Baronet, of Wingham (born 5 July 1682 – died 8 November 1723) was an important landowner in Britain. He was also a Whig politician. This means he was part of a political group that believed in certain ideas about how the country should be run. Sir Thomas served in the House of Commons, which is a part of the British Parliament, from 1708 to 1723.
Early Life and Family
Thomas Palmer was born on July 5, 1682. His father was Herbert Palmer, who lived in Wingham, Kent. His mother was Dorothy Pincheon.
He went to school in Canterbury and Sutton, Kent. Later, he studied at Caius College, Cambridge starting in 1699.
In 1700, when he was about 18, he married Elizabeth Marsham. Her father was Sir Robert Marsham, 4th Baronet.
In 1706, Thomas became the 4th Baronet. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that is passed down in a family. He received this title after his uncle, Sir Henry Palmer, 3rd Baronet, passed away.
A Career in Politics
Sir Thomas Palmer was elected to Parliament in 1708. He represented the area of Kent. He was a member of the Whig party.
In Parliament, he supported a law to allow people from other countries, called Palatines, to become British citizens. He also helped with a bill about roads.
He voted to remove a person named Dr. Sacheverell from his position. This was a big political event at the time.
In the 1710 election, Sir Thomas lost his seat in Parliament. He did not try to get elected again in 1713.
After his wife Elizabeth passed away in 1714, Sir Thomas decided to run for Parliament again. His brother-in-law, Sir Robert Marsham, helped him. In 1715, he was elected to represent Rochester without anyone running against him.
As a Member of Parliament, he always supported the government's plans. Because of this, he was given a job on a special committee. This committee looked into the army's debts, and he earned a salary for this work.
In 1719, he spoke in favor of changing some laws that limited religious freedom.
He was elected again for Rochester in 1722, even though he had to compete against other candidates this time.
Later Life and Legacy
Sir Thomas Palmer passed away on November 8, 1723.
He had three sons and four daughters with his first wife, Elizabeth. Only three of his daughters were still alive when he died.
His land in Wingham was left to his widow for her lifetime. After she passed away, it was to go to his son, Herbert.
The Baronet title then passed to his cousin, Sir Charles Palmer, 5th Baronet.
