Thomas Charlton (speaker)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Charlton was Speaker of the House of Commons of England in 1454 .
He was the son and heir of Sir Thomas Charlton of Hillingdon (d. 1445), landowner and MP.
By 1441 Thomas jnr had entered Henry VI's household as one of the esquires of the hall and chamber. In 1442 he was elected to the first of the six parliaments in which he served as knight of the shire for Middlesex
. He inherited from his parents extensive estates over five counties and again represented Middlesex in the Parliaments of 1447 and 1449. He was knighted, probably in 1453. In 1453 he once again sat in parliament for Middlesex, when Richard, Duke of York made his claim to the throne during Henry VI's illness. The speaker of the Commons, Thomas Thorpe, was arrested on York's orders and on 16 February 1454 Charlton was elected in his place (until April)
In 1455 he was appointed Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
and in 1459 returned again to Parliament. After the Yorkist invasion of 1460 he committed to the Yorkist cause and was one of the judges who tried the Lancastrian defenders of the Tower of London, was again elected to Parliament and was made Comptroller of the Household
. As Comtroller he accompanied Henry VI to the second battle of St Albans in 1461, where he was taken prisoner, regaining his freedom after Edward IV's victory at Towton the following month.
He died in 1645. He had married Benedicta, a daughter of the former speaker of the Commons Sir Richard Vernon. They had two sons and three daughters
He was the son and heir of Sir Thomas Charlton of Hillingdon (d. 1445), landowner and MP.
By 1441 Thomas jnr had entered Henry VI's household as one of the esquires of the hall and chamber. In 1442 he was elected to the first of the six parliaments in which he served as knight of the shire for Middlesex
Middlesex (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesex is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885....
. He inherited from his parents extensive estates over five counties and again represented Middlesex in the Parliaments of 1447 and 1449. He was knighted, probably in 1453. In 1453 he once again sat in parliament for Middlesex, when Richard, Duke of York made his claim to the throne during Henry VI's illness. The speaker of the Commons, Thomas Thorpe, was arrested on York's orders and on 16 February 1454 Charlton was elected in his place (until April)
In 1455 he was appointed Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. One sheriff was appointed for both counties from 1125 until the end of 1575, after which date separate sheriffs were appointed...
and in 1459 returned again to Parliament. After the Yorkist invasion of 1460 he committed to the Yorkist cause and was one of the judges who tried the Lancastrian defenders of the Tower of London, was again elected to Parliament and was made Comptroller of the Household
Comptroller of the Household
The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the English royal household, currently the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department, and often a cabinet member. He was an ex officio member of the Board of Green Cloth, until that body was abolished in the reform of the local...
. As Comtroller he accompanied Henry VI to the second battle of St Albans in 1461, where he was taken prisoner, regaining his freedom after Edward IV's victory at Towton the following month.
He died in 1645. He had married Benedicta, a daughter of the former speaker of the Commons Sir Richard Vernon. They had two sons and three daughters