Thomas Meres facts for kids

Sir Thomas Meres (1634 – 9 July 1715) was an important English lawyer and politician. He lived in Lincoln and Bloomsbury, London. He was a member of the English and later British Parliament for many years, from 1659 to 1710. Sir Thomas was very active both inside and outside Parliament, especially when King Charles II was in charge.

Early Life and Education

Sir Thomas Meres was born in 1634. His father, Robert Meres, was a church leader at Lincoln Cathedral. His mother was Elizabeth Williams. Thomas had two famous half-brothers: John Dolben, who became an Archbishop, and Sir William Dolben, who became a judge.

Thomas went to Carre's Grammar School in Sleaford. At age 15, he started studying at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1651. The next year, he began training to be a lawyer at Inner Temple. He also inherited his father's property that same year. In 1658, he married Anne de la Fountaine.

Political Career

Becoming a Member of Parliament

In 1659, Sir Thomas Meres was first chosen as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lincoln. An MP is someone elected to represent people in Parliament, where laws are made. In 1660, he was chosen again for the Convention Parliament. On 11 June 1660, he was knighted, which means he was given the title "Sir." He also became a full lawyer that year.

Busy Years in Parliament

Sir Thomas was re-elected as an MP for Lincoln in 1661. During the 18 years of the Cavalier Parliament, he was incredibly busy. He gave over 500 speeches and worked on 686 different committees. Committees are small groups that study specific topics and make decisions. He also wrote more than 100 reports and helped count votes 35 times.

Other Important Roles

Outside of Parliament, Sir Thomas had many other jobs. He helped with legal cases in Lincoln and worked on tax collection. He also helped manage land and supported officers who had been injured. From 1673 to 1678, he was the chairman of the committee that dealt with elections and special rights. He also helped with groups like the Sons of the Clergy, which supported families of church leaders.

Later Years in Politics

Sir Thomas was re-elected as an MP for Lincoln in 1679. He continued to chair the elections committee. From 1679 to 1684, he was a Lord of the Admiralty, which meant he helped manage the navy. He was also a captain in the local army.

In 1688, after a big political event called the Glorious Revolution, Sir Thomas got some of his important jobs back. However, he lost some support in Lincoln and did not run for Parliament that year. He was later appointed to help rebuild St Paul's Cathedral in London in 1692.

Return to Parliament

After some unsuccessful attempts, Sir Thomas was finally elected as an MP for Lincoln again in 1701 and 1702. He was re-elected without opposition in 1705. He spoke often in debates about important laws. He was elected again in 1708. In 1710, he voted against the impeachment of Dr. Sacheverell, a famous case at the time. He was defeated in the 1710 election and did not run for Parliament again.

In 1711, Sir Thomas was involved in a disagreement about the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral. He was one of the people accused of giving a building contract unfairly, against the wishes of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.

Death and Legacy

Sir Thomas Meres passed away at his home in London on 9 July 1715. He was buried in Kirby Bellars, Leicestershire. He and his wife had three sons, Thomas, John, and William, and three daughters. His second son, John, inherited his property.