Thomas Lewis (of Harpton) facts for kids
Thomas Lewis (born around 1518 or 1519, died in 1607) was an important Welsh politician. He lived a very long life for his time, reaching almost 90 years old. During his life, he held many important jobs in his local area and even helped make laws for the whole country.
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Thomas Lewis: A Busy Public Servant
Thomas Lewis was the son of Hugh Lewis. His family lived in places called Gladestry and Harpton. From a young age, Thomas started taking on important roles in his community.
Early Roles in Radnorshire
In 1547, when he was around 28 or 29 years old, Thomas Lewis became a magistrate. This meant he was like a local judge or official who helped keep order and make decisions in the area. In the same year, he also became the Sheriff of Radnorshire. The Sheriff was the main official in a county, responsible for law and order.
Thomas Lewis also worked in the town of New Radnor. He was a capital burgess and a common councilman. These were important roles in the town's local government, helping to manage the town's affairs.
Serving in Parliament
Thomas Lewis was also a Member of Parliament (often called an MP). An MP is someone chosen to represent the people of an area in the national government. They help make laws for the country.
He served as an MP for different areas at different times:
- He represented Radnor from 1545 to 1553.
- Later, he represented Radnorshire from 1559 to 1567.
- He served again for Radnorshire from 1584 to 1587.
During his time, there were big arguments about religion. Thomas Lewis tried to stay out of these arguments. However, he was part of a group that looked into a special altar in a church in New Radnor. This altar showed Thomas Becket, a famous historical figure.
Later Life and Achievements
In 1566, Thomas Lewis bought a hill called Old Radnor from the town of New Radnor. He stayed active in public life even when he was very old. For example, he served as the Sheriff of Montgomeryshire in 1592 and 1593, when he was over 70 years old!
Thomas Lewis was married twice. He had at least five sons and one daughter named Sarah. He passed away in 1607.
