Thomas Webb (Gloucester MP) facts for kids

Thomas Webb (born around 1663 – died March 26, 1734) was an English merchant and politician from Gloucester. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like the main part of the UK Parliament, from 1708 to 1713. He belonged to the Tory political group.

Early Life and Local Government Role

Thomas Webb was the son of John Webb, who was also a merchant and a city leader in Gloucester. Thomas followed in his father's footsteps. He worked as a mercer, which means he sold fine fabrics.

He became involved in the local government of Gloucester at a young age.

• In 1685, he became a freeman of Gloucester. This meant he had special rights in the city.
• From 1690 to 1691, he served as the city's sheriff.
• In 1695, he became an alderman, another important city official.
• From 1701 to 1702, he held the highest local position as Mayor of Gloucester.
• He also worked for the government as a "receiver-general of land tax" for Gloucestershire from 1702 to 1706. This meant he collected taxes on land.

Serving in Parliament

Thomas Webb was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Gloucester in the 1708 national election. An MP is someone elected to represent their area in the House of Commons.

He was not very active in Parliament itself. This was likely because he was busy helping the Tory party in local matters. People thought he was very important for their local political efforts.

Key Votes and Support

In 1710, he voted against the impeachment of Dr. Sacheverell. This was a big political event at the time. An impeachment is when a public official is accused of wrongdoing.

When the Tory party came into power, Thomas Webb tried to get his old job back as a tax collector. However, he was not successful.

He was re-elected as MP for Gloucester in the 1710 election. He had strong support from important people like Dr. Knightly Chetwood and the Duke of Beaufort.

Political Group and Absence

Thomas Webb was seen as a "worthy patriot" by his party. This meant he was someone who helped find problems with the previous government. He was also called a "Tory patriot" because he voted for peace.

He was a member of a group called the October Club. This was a club for Tory MPs.

He was often away from Parliament because he was busy with city business in Gloucester.

Political Challenges

In 1712, Thomas Webb faced a challenge. He was accused of still holding onto a large amount of tax money, about £27,000. This accusation was likely a political trick by the Whig party. The Whigs were the main rivals of the Tories.

Many people believed that Thomas Webb was actually very good at his job. They said "no receiver in England hath made better payments than Alderman Webb."

Even so, he was convinced not to run for election in 1713. This was to make way for a richer Tory candidate. He was promised good jobs as a reward, but these promises never came true.

Later Life and Death

Thomas Webb never married. He passed away on March 26, 1734, when he was 71 years old. He was buried at St. Michael's church in Gloucester.