Thomas Pury
Encyclopedia
Thomas Pury was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
variously between 1640 and 1659. He fought on the Parliamentarian side in the English Civil War
.
Pury was the son of Walter Pury of Gloucester. He was originally a weaver and then a country solicitor. In 1626, he was sheriff of Gloucester.
In November 1640, Pury was elected Member of Parliament
for Gloucester
in the Long Parliament
. He held the seat through the Rump Parliament
to 1653. In 1642 Pury was appointed commissioner for Gloucester for "publishing scandalous ministers etc." He became a captain in the parliamentary army and commanded a company in the regiment of Colonel Henry Stephens. He helped the Earl of Stamford and Lt-Col Edward Massey in the defence of Gloucester in August 1643. In October 1643 he was chairman of the committee for Gloucester.
Pury was Mayor of Gloucester in 1653 and then re-elected MP for Gloucester in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament
and in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament
. In 1659 he attended the restored Rump parliament and was charged with raising troops in Gloucester in July 1659.
Pury died at the age of 76 and was buried in St Mary's Gloucester. He left a charity to the city.
Pury married Mary Ayle, daughter of Edward Ayle of Tewkesbury. His son Thomas
was also an MP.
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...
variously between 1640 and 1659. He fought on the Parliamentarian side 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...
.
Pury was the son of Walter Pury of Gloucester. He was originally a weaver and then a country solicitor. In 1626, he was sheriff of Gloucester.
In November 1640, Pury 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 Gloucester
Gloucester (UK Parliament constituency)
Gloucester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was established in 1295 to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons but in 1885 representation was reduced to one member under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885...
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...
. He held the seat through the Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
to 1653. In 1642 Pury was appointed commissioner for Gloucester for "publishing scandalous ministers etc." He became a captain in the parliamentary army and commanded a company in the regiment of Colonel Henry Stephens. He helped the Earl of Stamford and Lt-Col Edward Massey in the defence of Gloucester in August 1643. In October 1643 he was chairman of the committee for Gloucester.
Pury was Mayor of Gloucester in 1653 and then re-elected MP for Gloucester 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....
and in 1656 for 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...
. In 1659 he attended the restored Rump parliament and was charged with raising troops in Gloucester in July 1659.
Pury died at the age of 76 and was buried in St Mary's Gloucester. He left a charity to the city.
Pury married Mary Ayle, daughter of Edward Ayle of Tewkesbury. His son Thomas
Thomas Pury (younger)
Thomas Pury was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War....
was also an MP.