Thomas Hardres
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hardres was an English barrister and politician. He was the Member of Parliament
for Canterbury
, Kent
from 1664.
, and was fourth son of Sir Thomas Hardres and Eleanor, sole surviving daughter and heiress of Henry Thoresby of Thoresby, a master in chancery. Thomas became a member of Gray's Inn
, and was called to the bar. From 1649 until his death he was steward of the manor of Lambeth.
In the vacation after Michaelmas term 1669 he became a serjeant-at-law
, in 1675 was appointed King's Serjeant, and in 1679 was elected M.P. for Canterbury. He also received the honour of knighthood. In December 1681 he died, and was buried at Canterbury.
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 Canterbury
Canterbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Canterbury is a county constituency which has been represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
from 1664.
Life
He was descended from a family owning the manor of Broad Oak at Hardres, near CanterburyCanterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, and was fourth son of Sir Thomas Hardres and Eleanor, sole surviving daughter and heiress of Henry Thoresby of Thoresby, a master in chancery. Thomas became a member of Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, 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...
, and was called to the bar. From 1649 until his death he was steward of the manor of Lambeth.
In the vacation after Michaelmas term 1669 he became a serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, in 1675 was appointed King's Serjeant, and in 1679 was elected M.P. for Canterbury. He also received the honour of knighthood. In December 1681 he died, and was buried at Canterbury.