Simon Thelwall
Encyclopedia
Simon Thelwall was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1640 and 1654. Fought in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War
.
Thelwall was the son of either Simon or Edward Thelwall of Plas-y-ward. He was admitted at Lincoln College, Oxford
on 7 June 1616 aged 15. He was sworn a burgess of Denbigh of 31 March 1634, and was admitted to Inner Temple
in November 1637.
In November 1640, Thelwall was elected Member of Parliament
for Denbigh
in the Long Parliament
. During the Civil War, he was driven out of Denbighshire and fled to Pembrokeshire. As Major Thelwall he helped drive the Royalists out of Pembrokeshire in 1643. He was one of the commanders who received the surrender of Denbigh Castle
in 1646. He became a Deputy Lieutenant
for Denbighshire on 2 July 1646 and became commissioner to manage Denbighshire in May 1648, was one of the Committee for North Wales in June 1648 and commissioner for pious uses for the use of the Corporation on 17 November 1648. He was excluded from Parliament in December 1648 under Pride's Purge
. He was elected MP for Denbighshire
in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament
.
Thelwall married firstly Margaret Sheffield, daughter of Edward Sheffield, 1st Earl of Musgrave. He married secondly Dorothy Meredith, widow of Andrew Meredith of Glantared and daughter of John Owen Vychard of Llwydiarth.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1640 and 1654. Fought in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Thelwall was the son of either Simon or Edward Thelwall of Plas-y-ward. He was admitted at Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
on 7 June 1616 aged 15. He was sworn a burgess of Denbigh of 31 March 1634, and was admitted to Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in November 1637.
In November 1640, Thelwall was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Denbigh
Denbigh Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbigh District of Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Denbigh in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons.The constituency first returned an MP in 1542, to the English Parliament...
in the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
. During the Civil War, he was driven out of Denbighshire and fled to Pembrokeshire. As Major Thelwall he helped drive the Royalists out of Pembrokeshire in 1643. He was one of the commanders who received the surrender of Denbigh Castle
Denbigh Castle
Denbigh Castle was a fortress built following the 13th-century conquest of Wales by Edward I.The castle, which stands on a rocky promontory above the Welsh market town of Denbigh, Denbighshire, was built upon an earlier Welsh stronghold. It was defended by a unique triple-towered gateway.A planned...
in 1646. He became a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for Denbighshire on 2 July 1646 and became commissioner to manage Denbighshire in May 1648, was one of the Committee for North Wales in June 1648 and commissioner for pious uses for the use of the Corporation on 17 November 1648. He was excluded from Parliament in December 1648 under Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
. He was elected MP for Denbighshire
Denbighshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbighshire was a county constituency in Denbighshire, in north Wales, from 1542 to 1885.- History :From 1542, it returned one Member of Parliament , traditionally known as the knight of the shire, to the House of Commons of the Parliament of England until 1707, then to the Parliament of Great...
in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
.
Thelwall married firstly Margaret Sheffield, daughter of Edward Sheffield, 1st Earl of Musgrave. He married secondly Dorothy Meredith, widow of Andrew Meredith of Glantared and daughter of John Owen Vychard of Llwydiarth.