Thomas Gewen
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gewen was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
variously between 1645 and 1660.
He was the son of Christopher Gewen of Werrington
. He was educated at the Queen's College, Oxford
and the Inner Temple
. He married twice; first to a daughter of Edward Cosworth, with whom he had a son. In July 1662, he married Mary, the daughter of Matthew Springham, with whom he had one son and two daughters .
Thomas Gewen settled at Bradridge, in the parish of Boyton in Cornwall
and was a joint auditor for the Duchy of Cornwall
, until he was deprived of his position at the outbreak of the Civil War
for his support of the parliamentary cause.
He was appointed by Act of Parliament as a member of the Cornwall Committee for raising money. He was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Launceston
in 1645 for the second part of the Long Parliament
but was excluded under Pride's Purge
in 1648. In 1654, he was elected MP for Cornwall
in the First Protectorate Parliament
. He was elected MP for Launceston in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament
and in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament
. In 1657, Gewen was a strong supporter of Cromwell but by 1660, he was opposed to the military party and was in favour of monarchy and the House of Lords
. He was also a sturdy Presbyterian and was considered one of the main persecutors of Quakers.
He was Recorder
of Launceston , and as Justice of the Peace
was responsible for conducting marriages.
Gewen was re-elected MP for Launceston in April 1660 which he held until his death a few months later at the age of 75.
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 1645 and 1660.
He was the son of Christopher Gewen of Werrington
Werrington, Cornwall
Werrington is a civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It was formerly in Devon.In Werrington Park is a substantial house built by Sir Francis Drake about 1620. A larger mansion was built next to it on the site of old parish church in the early 18th century...
. He was educated at the Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
and the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. He married twice; first to a daughter of Edward Cosworth, with whom he had a son. In July 1662, he married Mary, the daughter of Matthew Springham, with whom he had one son and two daughters .
Thomas Gewen settled at Bradridge, in the parish of Boyton in Cornwall
Boyton, Cornwall
Boyton is a civil parish and village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated close to the River Tamar and the border with Devon about six miles north of Launceston. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 378....
and was a joint auditor for the Duchy of Cornwall
Duchy of Cornwall
The Duchy of Cornwall is one of two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Lancaster. The eldest son of the reigning British monarch inherits the duchy and title of Duke of Cornwall at the time of his birth, or of his parent's succession to the throne. If the monarch has no son, the...
, until he was deprived of his position at the outbreak of the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
for his support of the parliamentary cause.
He was appointed by Act of Parliament as a member of the Cornwall Committee for raising money. He 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,...
(MP) for Launceston
Launceston (UK Parliament constituency)
Launceston, also known at some periods as Dunheved, was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and one member from 1832 until 1918...
in 1645 for the second part of 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...
but was excluded under Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
in 1648. In 1654, he was elected MP for Cornwall
Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
in 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 elected MP for Launceston 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...
and in 1659 for the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
. In 1657, Gewen was a strong supporter of Cromwell but by 1660, he was opposed to the military party and was in favour of monarchy and the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He was also a sturdy Presbyterian and was considered one of the main persecutors of Quakers.
He was Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
of Launceston , and as Justice of the Peace
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...
was responsible for conducting marriages.
Gewen was re-elected MP for Launceston in April 1660 which he held until his death a few months later at the age of 75.