Thomas Chicheley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Thomas Chicheley
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| Master-General of the Ordnance | |
| In office 1670–1674 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 March 1614 |
| Died | 1 February 1699 (aged 84) |
Sir Thomas Chicheley (born March 25, 1614 – died February 1, 1699) was an important politician in England during the 1600s. He lived at Wimpole Hall in Cambridgeshire. Sir Thomas was a Member of Parliament and held several high-ranking jobs for the King. However, he lost his powerful positions when King James II came to power. Sometimes, his last name is spelled Chichele.
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Contents
Sir Thomas's Early Life
Sir Thomas Chicheley was born in 1614. He was the oldest son of Thomas Chicheley, who also lived in Wimpole. His family was related to Henry Chichele, who was a very important Archbishop of Canterbury a long time ago. Henry Chichele also started All Souls College at Oxford University.
When his father passed away, Sir Thomas inherited Wimpole Hall. This was the biggest house in the whole county of Cambridgeshire.
His Political Career
Sir Thomas Chicheley was involved in politics for many years.
Local Government Roles
Before he became a national politician, Sir Thomas held important local jobs. From 1637 to 1638, he was the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire. This role was like being the chief law enforcement officer for the county.
He also served as a deputy lieutenant for Cambridgeshire. This meant he helped the King manage the county's military forces. He held this role from 1639 to 1642 and again from 1660 to 1685. He was also the custos rotulorum for the county. This person was in charge of keeping the county's records.
Member of Parliament
In 1640, Sir Thomas was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cambridgeshire. This was during a time called the Long Parliament.
However, England soon entered a big conflict called the English Civil War. Sir Thomas was a strong Royalist, meaning he supported King Charles I. Because of this, he was "disabled from sitting," which means he was kicked out of Parliament.
After the war ended and the King was restored to power in 1660 (this was called the English Restoration), Sir Thomas was elected to Parliament again. He represented Cambridgeshire from 1661 to 1679. Later, he became an MP for the city of Cambridge. He continued to serve until he retired after the Convention Parliament (1689).
High-Ranking Government Jobs
In 1670, Sir Thomas Chicheley was given the title of Knight. This was a special honor from the King. He also became a member of the Privy Council. This was a group of trusted advisors to the King.
That same year, he was given a very important job: Master-General of the Ordnance. This person was in charge of all the King's weapons, cannons, and military supplies. He held this position until 1679. After him, his own son, John, was one of the people who took over this role.
In 1679, he also became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. This was another high-level government job. However, in 1687, King James II removed him from this job and from the Privy Council.
Later Life and Family
Sir Thomas Chicheley lived to be 84 years old, passing away in 1699.
According to the famous diarist Samuel Pepys, Sir Thomas spent a lot of money living a fancy life in London. This might be why he had to sell his family home, Wimpole Hall, about 13 years before he died.
Sir Thomas was married twice. His first wife was Sarah, the daughter of Sir William Russell. They had three sons, but sadly, all of them passed away before him. They also had two daughters. After Sarah died in 1654, he married Anne around 1655. Anne was the daughter of Sir Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry and the widow of Sir William Savile, 3rd Baronet. With Anne, Sir Thomas had two more sons.
