Thomas Chester (2 May 1696 – 1763) of Almondsbury and Knole, near Bristol, was a British Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1727 and 1763. Chester was the eldest son of Thomas Chester of Almondsbury and his wife Anne Astry, daughter of Sir Samuel Astry of Henbury, Gloucestershire. In 1704, he succeeded his father. He matriculated at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, wh ...

in 1713. He married Lady Sarah Henrietta Howard daughter of Henry Howard, 6th Earl of Suffolk on 25 September 1721. She died without issue in April 1722. At the

1727 British general election The 1727 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was trigg ...

, Chester was one of four Members returned as Member of Parliament for Gloucester in a double return. He withdrew under a compromise. At the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Robert Walpole's incr ...

, he was returned successfully as Tory MP for Gloucestershire with Beaufort support. He was returned again in

1741 Events January–March * January 13 – Lanesborough, Massachusetts is created as a township. * February 13 – Sir Robert Walpole, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, popularizes the term "the balance of power" in a spe ...

and

1747 Events January–March * January 31 – The first venereal diseases clinic opens at London Lock Hospital. * February 11 – King George's War: A combined French and Indian force, commanded by Captain Nicolas Antoine II Coul ...

, and always voted against the Government. Chester was returned unopposed at the

1754 British general election The 1754 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 11th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. Owing to the exten ...

and again at the

1761 British general election The 1761 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 12th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. This was the first P ...

. He was only once recorded as having spoken in Parliament on 13 March 1763, during the debate on the cider tax, but was inaudible. Chester married as his second wife Mary Guinnet, widow of George Guinnet and daughter of Jeremy Gough of London on 28 February 1736. He died without issue on 1 October 1763.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chester, Thomas 1696 births 1763 deaths Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 British MPs 1741–1747 British MPs 1747–1754 British MPs 1754–1761 British MPs 1761–1768