Thomas Bedingfield (judge) facts for kids

Sir Thomas Bedingfield (born around 1592 – died 23 March 1661) was an important English judge and politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's parliament where laws are made.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Bedingfield was born in a place called Redlingfield in Suffolk, England. His father was also named Thomas Bedingfield, and his mother was Dorothy Southwell.

When he was young, Thomas went to school in Southwold. Later, at the age of 16, he went to Caius College, Cambridge, a famous university. After his time at Cambridge, he went on to study law at Gray's Inn. This was a special place where people learned to become lawyers. By 1615, he had finished his studies and became a qualified lawyer.

A Career in Law and Politics

Sir Thomas Bedingfield had a busy career. In 1621, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for a town called Dunwich. This meant he represented the people of Dunwich in the House of Commons. He was elected again for Dunwich in 1626.

He continued to work as a lawyer and in 1638, he became the Attorney-General of the Duchy of Lancaster. This was a very important legal job for a special area of England. In the same year, he was knighted, which means he was given the title "Sir."

Later, in 1648, he became a "serjeant-at-law" and a Justice of the Common Pleas. These were high-ranking positions as a judge. However, after King Charles I was executed in 1649, Sir Thomas Bedingfield decided to step down from his judge role. Even after this, he continued to be involved in politics, representing Suffolk in a special parliament called the First Protectorate Parliament.

Later Life

Sir Thomas Bedingfield passed away when he was about 68 years old. He was buried in Darsham, the same place his family was from.