Thomas Thorpe (speaker) facts for kids

Sir Thomas Thorpe was an important person in England who lived a long time ago, in the 1400s. He was the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1453 to 1454. The House of Commons is a group of people who help make laws for the country.

Early Life and Work

Thomas Thorpe started his career working for the King. He was a clerk in the royal Exchequer. This was like the government's money department. He slowly moved up, becoming a "Baron of the Exchequer" in 1452. This was a high position in the money department.

Starting in Politics

In 1449, Thomas Thorpe became a "knight of the shire" for Northamptonshire. This meant he was elected to represent that area in the Parliament. People elected to Parliament are called Members of Parliament (MPs). Later, he also represented Essex.

In 1453, he was chosen to be the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Speaker is like the leader or chairperson of the House of Commons. They make sure meetings run smoothly.

Challenges and Comebacks

In 1454, Thomas Thorpe faced a big problem. He was put in prison because he was accused of unfairly taking property that belonged to the Duke of York. Because he was in prison, he could no longer be the Speaker. Another person, Sir Thomas Charlton, took his place.

Working for the King Again

Even after being in prison, Thomas Thorpe returned to important jobs. In 1455, he became the Chancellor of the Exchequer. This was an even higher role in the government's money department.

However, the Duke of York, who was his enemy, accused him again. This time, the Duke said Thorpe stopped important messages from reaching the King. Because of this, Thorpe lost all his public jobs.

Back in Favor

But Thomas Thorpe was good at getting back into the King's good graces. In 1457, he was given a job at the Tower of London. He was in charge of the King's private belongings there for the rest of his life. In 1458, he became a "Baron of the Exchequer" again.

In 1459, Thorpe got a chance to get back at the Duke of York. He helped create a special law that said the Duke of York and his supporters were traitors.

Final Years

In 1460, Thomas Thorpe was captured after a battle called the Battle of Northampton. He was taken to London as a prisoner and lost his jobs again.

He managed to escape from prison, but he was caught and sent back to the Tower of London. He escaped a second time! But on February 17, 1461, he was caught by a group of people in Harringay, a place near London, and sadly, he died that day.

Family Life

Thomas Thorpe was married to a woman named Joan. They had a son named Roger, who became his heir.

Sometimes, you might see different dates for when he was Speaker, like 1452 to 1453. This is because, a long time ago in England, the new year didn't always start on January 1st. It often started in March. The dates used in this article are based on the year starting on January 1st, like we do today.