Thomas Turgis facts for kids

Thomas Turgis (born 1623, died 1704) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main part of the English Parliament. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for a very long time, from 1659 until his death. In 1701, he became known as the "Father of the House." This title goes to the MP who has served the longest without a break.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Turgis was born on October 7, 1623. His father, also named Thomas Turgis, was a successful grocer in London. His mother was Ebbot Urry.

In 1648, Thomas Turgis became a "freeman" of the Worshipful Company of Grocers. This was a powerful group for merchants. He worked with them until 1687.

When his wealthy father passed away in 1651, Thomas inherited a lot of property. He also bought more land, including Lower Gatton in Surrey in 1654. He owned many other large estates in Surrey. Because of all this, he was considered one of the richest ordinary citizens in England.

Thomas Turgis married Mary Beake by 1655. Mary was the daughter of William Beake, a merchant from London. They had three sons and one daughter together.

His Political Career

In 1659, Thomas Turgis was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Gatton. Gatton was a small area that he represented in Parliament. This was during the time of the Third Protectorate Parliament.

He took on many important roles:

• In March 1660, he helped with the local army as a commissioner for the militia in Surrey.
• In April 1660, he was re-elected as MP for Gatton. This was the only time he faced strong competition.
• From August 1660 to 1680, he was a commissioner for assessment in Surrey. This meant he helped with taxes.
• He also helped manage water systems as a commissioner for sewers in August 1660.
• For a short time in July 1661, he was an alderman for Farringdon Without. This was a local government role in the City of London.

Turgis was re-elected as MP for Gatton many times. He served in the Cavalier Parliament starting in 1661. He was also elected in 1679, 1681, and 1685.

He continued to serve in public roles:

• In 1675, he was a commissioner for recusants in Surrey. This involved dealing with people who did not follow the official church.
• In 1677, he helped with rebuilding parts of Southwark.

In 1687, he was removed from his role with the Grocers’ Company. However, he continued his political career. He was a commissioner for assessment for London and Surrey from 1689 to 1690.

He was re-elected as MP for Gatton in 1689, 1690, 1695, 1698, and both elections in 1701. His long service led him to become the "Father of the House" in 1701.

Later Life and Legacy

Thomas Turgis passed away on June 11, 1704, at the age of 80. He was buried at St. Dionis Backchurch. He left behind a very large fortune, worth over £100,000.

After his death, his property in Gatton was inherited by William Newland. William Newland also became an MP for Gatton when he was only 21 years old. He continued to serve in Parliament for the rest of his life, just like Thomas Turgis.