Thomas Minors
Encyclopedia
Thomas Minors was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1654 and 1660.
Minors was the only son of Robert Minors of Uttoxeter and his wife Gertrude Hunt, daughter of Edmund Hunt of Marchington. He became a draper in Lichfield and was sheriff of Lichfield from 1642 to 1643. He did not take part in the Civil War, while the city was held by the Royalists, but he was a Presbyterian and probably supported the parliamentarian cause. He was commissioner for assessment from 1647 to 1652 and was bailiff from 1648 to 1649. In 1653 he was commissioner for poor prisoners and became J.P.
for Staffordshire until July 1660.
In 1654, Minors was elected Member of Parliament
for Lichfield
for the First Protectorate Parliament
. He was also commissioner for scandalous ministers. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Lichfield in the Second Protectorate Parliament
. He was commissioner for assessment in 1657 and bailiff again from 1657 to 1658. He was commissioner for assessment from Jan. 1660 to 1661 and commissioner for militia in March 1660. In 1660 he was initially defeated as MP for Lichfield but won the seat again on petition in June 1660. In 1664 he was commissioner for assessment again and held the role until his death. In 1669 he appeared before the Privy Council for keeping unlawful meetings in his house. His house was later licensed for Presbyterian worship under the Declaration of Indulgence.
Minors died at the age of 67 and was buried in St Mary’s, Lichfield on 30 September 1677. In his will he endowed a school at Lichfield which was to teach thirty poor boys to spell and read so they could read the Bible.
Minors married firstly Sarah Burnes daughter of John Burnes, mercer of Lichfield and had a son. She died in 1667 and he married secondly Dorothy Jesson, who was the sister of William Jesson
of Lichfield.
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 1654 and 1660.
Minors was the only son of Robert Minors of Uttoxeter and his wife Gertrude Hunt, daughter of Edmund Hunt of Marchington. He became a draper in Lichfield and was sheriff of Lichfield from 1642 to 1643. He did not take part in the Civil War, while the city was held by the Royalists, but he was a Presbyterian and probably supported the parliamentarian cause. He was commissioner for assessment from 1647 to 1652 and was bailiff from 1648 to 1649. In 1653 he was commissioner for poor prisoners and became J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Staffordshire until July 1660.
In 1654, Minors 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 Lichfield
Lichfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Lichfield is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
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....
. He was also commissioner for scandalous ministers. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Lichfield in the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He was commissioner for assessment in 1657 and bailiff again from 1657 to 1658. He was commissioner for assessment from Jan. 1660 to 1661 and commissioner for militia in March 1660. In 1660 he was initially defeated as MP for Lichfield but won the seat again on petition in June 1660. In 1664 he was commissioner for assessment again and held the role until his death. In 1669 he appeared before the Privy Council for keeping unlawful meetings in his house. His house was later licensed for Presbyterian worship under the Declaration of Indulgence.
Minors died at the age of 67 and was buried in St Mary’s, Lichfield on 30 September 1677. In his will he endowed a school at Lichfield which was to teach thirty poor boys to spell and read so they could read the Bible.
Minors married firstly Sarah Burnes daughter of John Burnes, mercer of Lichfield and had a son. She died in 1667 and he married secondly Dorothy Jesson, who was the sister of William Jesson
William Jesson
William Jesson was an English dyer and politician who was active in local government in Coventry and sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1648....
of Lichfield.