Thomas Brand Hollis facts for kids

Thomas Brand Hollis (1719 – 9 September 1804), born Thomas Brand, was a British political activist who believed in new ideas for his time.

Early Life and Travels

Thomas Brand was born in 1719 in Ingatestone, Essex. His father, Timothy Brand, was a cloth seller. Thomas went to Brentwood School and Felsted School. He also studied at the University of Glasgow. There, he became good friends with Richard Baron. Both of them were nonconformists, meaning they had different religious beliefs than the main church at the time. They were both inspired by the philosopher Francis Hutcheson.

In 1741, Thomas Brand decided not to study law, but he did become friends with another important thinker, Thomas Hollis. From 1748 to 1753, Brand traveled around Europe with Hollis and on his own. In 1756, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society, a famous group for scientists and thinkers.

Becoming Thomas Brand Hollis

When his friend Thomas Hollis passed away in 1774, he left his large estate (land and property) to Thomas Brand. There was one condition: Thomas Brand had to add "Hollis" to his own name. This is how he became Thomas Brand Hollis.

Working for Change

Thomas Brand Hollis believed in the ideas of the American Revolution. He wrote letters to important American leaders like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. He even helped print Jefferson's ideas about religious freedom in a local newspaper. In 1782, he was made an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, which showed how much Americans respected him.

In 1774, Thomas Brand Hollis was chosen to be a member of Parliament for a short time. However, the election was later cancelled because some rules were broken, and money was used to influence votes. After this, he decided not to run for Parliament again.

Thomas Brand Hollis was a founder of the Society for Constitutional Information in 1780. This group worked to change how the government was run. He also worked with John Jebb on a plan to make elections fairer. He became a Unitarian, a type of Christian who believes in one God, and he worked to change old laws that limited people's rights based on their religion.

His Home: The Hyde

Thomas Brand Hollis lived at a country house called The Hyde in Essex. His father had bought the house in 1718, and Thomas had it improved in 1761. In 1786, his friend John Adams, who later became the second President of the United States, visited him at The Hyde. Adams was the first American ambassador to Great Britain, and he stayed for several days.

Later Life

Thomas Brand Hollis passed away in 1804. He left his property to his friend John Disney. Disney put up a monument to him in a church and wrote a book about his life. The Hyde house was later taken down in 1965 after it was damaged in a fire.

Images for kids

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  The Hyde, Essex, the home of Thomas Brand Hollis