Thomas Sclater facts for kids
Thomas Sclater (born around 1664, died 23 August 1736) was an English lawyer and politician. He was also known as Thomas Bacon later in his life. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making body in Britain, at different times between 1713 and 1736.
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Early Life and Education
Thomas Sclater was born around 1664. His father, Edward Sclater, passed away when Thomas was young. After 1673, his stepfather, Edward Thompson, helped raise him.
Thomas went to St Paul's School in London. Later, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge starting in 1682 when he was 17 years old. In 1684, he inherited land and property from his great-uncle, also named Sir Thomas Sclater, 1st Baronet. This included Catley House in Cambridgeshire, where he collected many valuable books. He became a lawyer in 1703 after studying at Gray's Inn.
Political Career
In 1713, Thomas Sclater became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bodmin without anyone running against him. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the House of Commons. In 1714, he was given the special title of "freeman" of Cambridge.
In the 1715 election, he was chosen as the MP for Cambridge. However, he lost his seat on May 27, 1715, after a complaint was made about the election results.
Marriage and Name Change
On May 22, 1716, Thomas Sclater married Elizabeth Bacon. She was a wealthy heiress, meaning she inherited a lot of money and land from her father, John Bacon. John Bacon was a rich merchant from London who owned land in Little Paxton. After marrying Elizabeth, Thomas added her last name to his own and became known as Thomas Bacon.
In 1721, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is a group of very smart scientists and thinkers who share new ideas and discoveries.
Later Political Years
As Thomas Bacon, he was again elected as an MP for Cambridge in 1722 without any opposition. He continued to be elected as MP for Cambridge in the elections of 1727 and 1734.
Death and Legacy
Thomas Sclater, also known as Thomas Bacon, passed away on August 22, 1736. He was about 71 years old and did not have any children. He was a very wealthy man, leaving behind a large fortune. His wife, Elizabeth, had died earlier in 1726.
