William Tomkins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons

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...

 in 1628 and in 1640.

Tomkins was the son of James Tomkins

James Tomkins (MP)

James Tomkins was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1624 and 1629.Tomkins was of Monnington on Wye, Herefordshire, but also owned Garnestone, a considerable domain south of Weobley....

 of Monnington on Wye, Herefordshire, and of Garnestone south of Weobley.

Tomkins father was instrumental in bringing back the franchise for Weobley

Weobley (UK Parliament constituency)

Weobley was a parliamentary borough in Herefordshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1295 and from 1628 until 1832, when the borough was abolished by the Great Reform Act.- MPs 1628–1660 :...

 and Tomkins became one of the first Members of Parliament returned for the borough in 1628. In April 1640, he was elected MP for Weobley in the Short Parliament

Short Parliament

The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....

.