Thomas Colepeper (colonel) facts for kids

Thomas Colepeper (born 1637, died 1708) was an English soldier who held the rank of colonel. He was involved in important events during a time of change in England.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Colepeper was born on Christmas Day in 1637. His father was Sir Thomas Colepeper, who was in charge of Dover Castle. His mother was Lady Barbara, who was the daughter of Robert Sidney, the first Earl of Leicester. Sadly, Thomas lost both his parents when he was only six years old.

After his parents passed away, Thomas lived with the Strangford family as a steward. He worked closely with his half-brother, Philip, Viscount Strangford. They both actively supported the king's return to power. Because of their actions, Thomas was even put in prison by the government in 1659.

Marriage and Disputes

In 1662, Thomas Colepeper married Frances, the youngest daughter of John, Lord Frecheville. This marriage was not approved by Lord Frecheville at first. Even though they later seemed to make up, Lord Frecheville did not give his daughter any money or property when he died in 1682. He had promised her £300 a year, but it was likely never paid because he had lost much of his wealth.

Lord Frecheville had to sell his land to the Earl of Devonshire. Thomas Colepeper spent a lot of time trying to challenge this sale in court. He tried many times to cancel the sale but kept failing. This made him very angry.

Challenges and Consequences

In 1685, Thomas Colepeper publicly insulted the Earl of Devonshire by hitting him at Whitehall Palace, a royal court. For this, Colepeper was sent to Marshalsea Prison. His wife wrote him many letters while he was in prison. She asked Lord Danby to help, and Colepeper was eventually pardoned by the king.

After a major rebellion, Colepeper hoped to get a job at court. However, in 1687, the Earl of Devonshire met him again at Whitehall. The Earl challenged Colepeper and then hit him with his cane. This time, it was the Earl's turn to be imprisoned and put on trial. The Earl was fined a large sum of money, £30,000. He was sent to King's Bench Prison but managed to escape soon after. Later, the fine was cancelled. Years later, in 1697, the Earl of Devonshire met Colepeper again and hit him with a cane once more.

Later Life and Projects

After these events, Thomas Colepeper lost all hope of getting a position at court. He had sold his family's estate in 1675, which meant he did not have much money as he got older. His wife passed away in 1698, and they did not have any children.

The rest of Colepeper's life was spent on various plans and ideas. He claimed to have found new mines and worked on projects to improve the army, navy, and government income. He died in December 1708 in Westminster and was buried in St. Margaret's Church. He had been chosen to join the Royal Society, a group for important scientists, in 1668. He was also friends with Thomas Bushell, an engineer.

Writings and Collections

Thomas Colepeper wrote many things, and some of his handwritten papers are kept in the British Library today.

Some of his important writings include:

• His copy of the 'Frecheville Evidences', which were records about the Frecheville family.
• Eighteen volumes of his personal notes, which he called 'Adversaria'.

Other papers by Colepeper in the British Library are:

• Collections from Public Records
• Commonplace Books
• Memorandum Book