Thomas Cromwell (Parliamentary diarist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Cromwell
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Arms of Cromwell: Quarterly, per fess, indented, azure and or, four lions passant counterchanged
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| Born | c. 1540 |
| Died | c. 1611 (aged 70–71) King’s Lynn, Norfolk
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| Occupation | MP |
| Spouse(s) | Katherine Gardner |
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Thomas Cromwell (born around 1540 – died around 1611) was an important English politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. An MP is a person chosen to represent people in the House of Commons, which is part of the government that makes laws.
Thomas Cromwell kept detailed diaries of what happened in the House of Commons. These diaries are very helpful for historians today. They give us a lot of information about how Parliament worked back then.
Contents
Who Was Thomas Cromwell?
Thomas Cromwell was born around 1540. He came from a very famous family. His grandfather was also named Thomas Cromwell, and he was a powerful minister to King Henry VIII.
His Family Connections
Thomas Cromwell was the third son of Gregory Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell. His mother was Elizabeth Seymour. Elizabeth Seymour was the sister of Jane Seymour, who was King Henry VIII's third wife. This means Thomas Cromwell was related to the royal family through his aunt.
His Education
When he was about 13 years old, in 1553, Thomas Cromwell went to St John's College, Cambridge to study.
His Job in Parliament
Thomas Cromwell was an MP for many years during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. He was elected to Parliament five times between 1571 and 1589.
Where He Served
He represented different towns in Parliament:
- Fowey in 1571
- Bodmin from 1572 to 1581
- Preston from 1584 to 1585
- Grampound in 1586-7 and 1589
Important people, like Sir William Cecil, might have helped him get elected in some of these places.
His Role as an MP
Thomas Cromwell was known for being very good at his job. He worked on many special groups called committees in Parliament. By the end of his career, he was one of the most respected MPs. People saw him as an expert on how Parliament should work.
He was part of the Puritan group in the House. Puritans were people who wanted to make the Church of England simpler. But even though he was a Puritan, he was seen as fair and sensible. Historians describe him as a perfect example of an MP. He knew a lot about Parliament's history and rules. He was also brave in defending people's freedom.
His Family Life
On August 18, 1580, Thomas Cromwell married Katherine Gardner. She was the daughter of Thomas Gardner. Thomas and Katherine had nine children together: five sons and four daughters.
His Children
- Henry Cromwell (born around 1583)
- Humfrey Cromwell (born around 1586)
- Lyonell Cromwell (born around 1591)
- Thomas Cromwell
- Gregory Cromwell
- Ann Cromwell (born around 1587)
- Susan Cromwell (born around 1590)
- Katherine Cromwell
- Mary Cromwell
His Later Years and Death
After he stopped being an MP, Thomas Cromwell lived in King’s Lynn, a town in Norfolk. He wrote his will, which is a legal document saying what should happen to his money and property after he dies, on February 17, 1610.
He asked for a simple funeral, saying he didn't want anything fancy. He died sometime between February 1610 and April 1611. He left money and property to his wife, saying she had been a "most loving wife." He also left money to his children and to poor people in different towns.
