Thomas Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard (c.1564–15 Jan 1618) was an English politician and peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...

. He was made Baron Gerard
Baron Gerard
There have been three baronies created for descendants of the Gerard family who resided at Bryn, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire in the 13th century....

, Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire
Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire
This is a list of people who have served as Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire.* William Whorwood bef. 1544–1545* William Paget, 1st Baron Paget bef. 1547–1563* Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex bef. 1573–1576...

, president of the Council of Wales and the Marches and Lord Lieutenant of Wales
Lord Lieutenant of Wales
The Lord Lieutenant of Wales was an office associated with the Lord President of the Council of Wales and the Marches until the abolition of that body in 1689. The Lord Presidents of Wales were also Lord Lieutenants of Wales, except for the years 1602–1629, when the county of Glamorgan formed a...

.

He was born the son of Sir Gilbert Gerard and educated privately before entering Caius College, Cambridge in 1580.

He became a soldier, courtier and retainer of the Earl of Essex. He was returned as MP for Lancaster
Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancaster 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 1867, centred on the historic city of Lancaster in north-west England...

 in 1584 and 1586. He then served as knight of the shire for Staffordshire
Staffordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Staffordshire was a county 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 1832...

 (1589), Lancashire
Lancashire (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancashire was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1290, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...

 (1593 and 1597) and Staffordshire again in 1601, having estates in both counties. He was appointed Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire in 1601.

He was knighted at Rouen by the Earl of Essex in 1591 and appointed captain of the Isle of Man in 1595 and a Knight Marshal of the royal household in 1597. He spent time in Ireland on military service with the Earl of Essex and was adversely affected by the latter's disgrace in 1600.

He was made Baron Gerard
Baron Gerard
There have been three baronies created for descendants of the Gerard family who resided at Bryn, Ashton in Makerfield, Lancashire and Kingsley, Cheshire in the 13th century....

by James I in 1603. In 1616 he was appointed president of the Council of Wales and the Marches

He died in 1618 and was buried at Ashley, Staffordshire. He had married twice; firstly Alice, daughter of Sir Thomas Rivet and secondly Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Woodford of Burnham, Buckinghamshire. He was succeeded by his son Gilbert.
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