Thomas Gewen facts for kids

Thomas Gewen (born in 1585, died in November 1660) was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of the English Parliament, at different times between 1645 and 1660.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Gewen was born in 1585. His grandfather was also named Thomas, and his father was Christopher Gewen from Werrington. Thomas went to college at the Queen's College, Oxford and later studied law at the Inner Temple.

He was married twice. First, he married a daughter of Edward Cosworth, and they had a son. In July 1622, he married Mary Springham. With Mary, he had another son and two daughters.

Political Career and the Civil War

Thomas Gewen lived in a place called Bradridge, in Boyton in Cornwall. Before the English Civil War, he worked as an auditor for the Duchy of Cornwall. This meant he helped manage the finances for the Duke of Cornwall.

However, when the Civil War began, he lost his job. This happened because he supported the Parliament's side in the war.

Supporting Parliament

Because of his support for Parliament, Thomas Gewen was chosen to be part of the Cornwall Committee. This committee was in charge of raising money for the war effort.

In 1645, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Launceston. This was during the second part of a long period of Parliament known as the Long Parliament.

Changes in Parliament

In 1648, Thomas Gewen was removed from Parliament during an event called Pride's Purge. This was when some members of Parliament were forced out.

Later, in 1654, he was elected as an MP again. This time, he represented Cornwall in the First Protectorate Parliament. He was elected for Launceston again in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament and in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament.

Shifting Views

In 1657, Thomas Gewen was a strong supporter of Oliver Cromwell, who was a very powerful leader at the time. However, by 1660, his views had changed. He no longer supported the military leaders and instead favored bringing back the monarchy (a king or queen) and the House of Lords.

Thomas Gewen was also a very strong Presbyterian. This was a type of Christian belief. He held very firm religious views that were different from those of the Quakers.

Other Important Roles

Besides being an MP, Thomas Gewen also held other important jobs. He was the Recorder of Launceston, which meant he was a judge for the town.

He also served as a Justice of the Peace. In this role, he was responsible for conducting marriages in his area.

Later Life

Thomas Gewen was re-elected as an MP for Launceston in April 1660. He continued to serve in this role until he passed away a few months later. He was about 75 years old when he died.