Thomas Lutwyche facts for kids
Thomas Lutwyche (born 1675 – died 1734) was an English lawyer and politician. He lived at Lutwyche Hall in Shropshire and was a member of the Inner Temple, a famous place for lawyers in London. Thomas Lutwyche was a Tory politician, which means he belonged to a political group that believed in strong traditions and the power of the king. He served in the British House of Commons, which is part of the British Parliament, almost continuously from 1710 until he died in 1734.
Contents
A Life in Law and Politics
Thomas Lutwyche was the son of Sir Edward Lutwyche, who was a judge. His mother was Anne Tourneur. Thomas went to Westminster School, a well-known school. After that, he went to Christ Church, Oxford, a college at Oxford University, in 1692. However, he did not finish his degree there.
A Career in Law
In 1697, Thomas Lutwyche became a lawyer, which is called being "called to the bar" at the Inner Temple. This meant he could argue cases in court. He later held important positions at the Inner Temple. He was a "reader" in 1715, which meant he gave lectures on law. In 1722, he became the "treasurer" of the Inner Temple, managing its money.
Entering Parliament
Thomas Lutwyche was not very keen on becoming a politician at first. But he eventually entered politics with help from a powerful person, Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet. He was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Appleby in the general elections of 1710 and 1713. These elections were very close. In the 1715 general election, he was chosen again for Appleby without anyone running against him.
Later, in the 1722 general election, he became an MP for Callington. He probably had support from Sir John Coryton for this. He did not run in the 1727 election. However, he was then chosen as an MP for Amersham in a special election on February 23, 1728. He was re-elected for Amersham in the 1734 general election.
Important Political Moments
Thomas Lutwyche was known as a High Tory, which meant he had strong traditional political beliefs. In 1710, he was made a Queen's Counsel (Q.C.). This is a special title for experienced lawyers. He was even offered a job as a judge by Robert Harley, a very important politician, in 1711, but he said no.
On November 6, 1723, Thomas Lutwyche gave an important speech in Parliament. He spoke against a new law that wanted to tax Catholics, showing his strong beliefs.
Later Life and Legacy
Towards the end of his life, in 1734, Thomas Lutwyche bought a historic house called Wilderhope Manor. He passed away on November 13, 1734, and was buried in the church at the Inner Temple.
His Written Works
Thomas Lutwyche left behind some handwritten notes about legal cases from the Queen's Bench. These notes, called "law reports," were published in 1781 in a book called Modern Reports.
Family Life
Thomas Lutwyche married Elizabeth Bagnall. They had two sons and three daughters. One of their daughters, Anne, married a man named Nicholas Fazakerley. Their third daughter, Sarah, married Thomas Geers, who also became a Member of Parliament for Hereford.
