Sir Thomas Glemham (c. 1594 – 1649) was an English soldier, landowner and politician who sat in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
between 1621 and 1625. He was a commander in the
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governme ...
army during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
.
Early life and career
Glemham was the son of
Sir Henry Glemham of Glemham Hall,
Little Glemham
Little Glemham is a small village on the A12 road, in the East Suffolk district
East Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England, which was established on 1 April 2019, following the merger of the existing Suffolk Coastal and Wa ...
in
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
. After studying at
Trinity College, Oxford
(That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody)
, named_for = The Holy Trinity
, established =
, sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge
, president = Dame Hilary Boulding
, location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH
, coordinates ...
, he "betook himself to the German wars," serving in armies in Europe from 1610 to 1617. He was knighted on 10 September 1617.
[ 'Alumni Oxonienses, 1500-1714: Gilpin-Greenhaugh', Alumni Oxonienses 1500-1714: Abannan-Kyte (1891), pp. 569-599. Date accessed: 15 February 2012]
/ref> In 1621 he was elected MP for Reigate
Reigate ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town in Surrey, England, around south of central London. The settlement is recorded in Domesday Book in 1086 as ''Cherchefelle'' and first appears with its modern name in the 1190s. The earlie ...
. He succeeded his father to the Little Glemham
Little Glemham is a small village on the A12 road, in the East Suffolk district
East Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England, which was established on 1 April 2019, following the merger of the existing Suffolk Coastal and Wa ...
estate in 1632.
He was elected MP for Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh ( ) is a coastal town in the English county, county of Suffolk, England. Located to the north of the River Alde. Its estimated population was 2,276 in 2019. It was home to the composer Benjamin Britten and remains the centre of the int ...
in 1625 and 1626.[Browne Willis ''Notitia parliamentaria, or, An history of the counties, cities, and boroughs in England and Wales: ... The whole extracted from mss. and printed evidences'' 1750 pp176-239]
/ref> He then took part as a Captain in the Duke of Buckingham's expedition to La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. With ...
. He was captured by the French, but later released. He then served as JP and was involved in several lawsuits and scandals.
In 1639, on the outbreak of the Second Bishops' War
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds eac ...
Glemham was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel.[ After the English defeat at the ]Battle of Newburn
The Battle of Newburn, also known as The Battle of Newburn Ford, took place on 28 August 1640, during the Second Bishops' War. It was fought at Newburn, just outside Newcastle, where a ford crossed the River Tyne. A Scottish Covenanter army o ...
, he was Governor of Hull
Below is a list of those who have held the office of Governor of Kingston upon Hull:
Governors of Kingston upon Hull
*1536: John Hallam
*1546–1552: Sir Michael Stanhope (beheaded, 1552)
*?-1639: Sir John Hotham, 1st Baronet
*1639–1641: Sir ...
for several months, before returning to London in 1641.
First Civil War
In early 1642, Glemham was part of King Charles's entourage in York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
. He re-entered Hull unannounced at the head of a large and prestigious party whose purpose was to recover the arms stored there after the Bishops' Wars. The pro-Parliamentarian Governor, Sir John Hotham, thwarted them by inviting them to a lengthy and pointless reception. The impatient King demanded entry to the city and was refused. He proclaimed Hotham a traitor, and Glemham's party was forced to leave.
Glemham remained in the north of England after the King moved south, and took part in the failed Siege of Hull (1642)
The first Siege of Hull marked a major escalation in the conflict between King Charles I and Parliament during the build-up to the First English Civil War. Charles sought to secure the large arsenal held in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Y ...
. In October 1642, he was appointed Governor of York, remaining there until November 1643 when he took command in Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land on ...
to face a possible invasion by Scottish Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
s. The Scots did invade in January, 1644, in overwhelming strength, and Glemham had to retreat rapidly on the city of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...
and the main Royalist army under the Marquess of Newcastle.
The Marquess of Newcastle was himself forced to retreat to York when that city was threatened by Parliamentarian armies. When they arrived on 19 April, Glemham resumed his post as Governor (succeeding Sir John Belasyse
John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse (or Bellasis) (24 June 1614 – 10 September 1689) was an English nobleman, Royalist officer and Member of Parliament, notable for his role during and after the Civil War. He suffered a long spell of imprison ...
, who had been captured earlier in the month). During the ensuing Siege of York
The siege of York in 1644 was a prolonged contest for York during the First English Civil War, between the Scottish Covenanter army and the Parliamentarian armies of the Northern Association and Eastern Association, and the Royalist A ...
, the Royalist garrison defended the city vigorously, and Glemham was credited with destroying a Parliamentarian mine under Walmgate Bar, by digging a counter-mine through which the attackers' mine was flooded. On 1 July the city was relieved by a Royalist army under Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalr ...
. Late the following day, the forces Rupert and Newcastle were decisively defeated at the Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1639 – 1653. The combined forces of the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester and the Scottish Covenanters und ...
. Newcastle went into exile in Hamburg
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Hamburgian(s)
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, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, while Rupert returned south with the survivors of his army. Glemham was left with only 1500 men to defend York. He nevertheless held out until 16 July and obtained favourable terms from the besiegers. No Scottish troops were to enter the city, and such of the garrison as wished to continue to fight were allowed to march out with all the honours of war and were given safe passage to Skipton
Skipton (also known as Skipton-in-Craven) is a market town and civil parish in the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically in the East Division of Staincliffe Wapentake in the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is on the River Air ...
, where some men marched south to join the King's main forces while Glemham with some 200 "reformadoes" (officers from regiments which had been destroyed or disbanded) went to Carlisle.
Glemham was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the four northernmost counties of England, but effectively controlled only Carlisle itself. From October 1644 to June 1645, Carlisle was closely besieged by Scots under Major General Sir David Leslie. Glemham again maintained an active defence, repeatedly raiding the besiegers' lines. He finally capitulated when all supplies had been eaten and the garrison and townsfolk faced starvation. Leslie again granted favourable terms, allowing all the honours of war and escorting the garrison to Hereford
Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
where they might join the King.
Glemham was created D.C.L. at Oxford on 22 April 1645.[ In October 1645, he was appointed Governor of ]Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, the King's wartime capital. He made extensive preparations to withstand a lengthy siege although by this time, the King had very few forces left to him. In April 1646, the Parliamentarian Commander-in-Chief, Sir Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron (17 January 161212 November 1671), also known as Sir Thomas Fairfax, was an English politician, general and Parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War. An adept and talented command ...
, began the final Siege of Oxford
The siege of Oxford comprised the English Civil War military campaigns waged to besiege the Royalist controlled city of Oxford, involving three short engagements over twenty-five months, which ended with a Parliamentarian victory in June ...
. The King left Oxford in disguise. Glemham maintained a defence despite pressure from some of the King's Privy Councillors who were trapped in Oxford to surrender. Both negotiations for a surrender and a furious bombardment of the siege lines were continuing when a letter was received from King Charles, now a prisoner of the Scots, commanding Glemham to cease resistance. The garrison of 3,000 marched out with all honours of war and disbanded. After paying a fine of £951/15/0 to retain his estates, Glemham went into exile.
Second Civil War
Glemham joined other prominent Royalists in Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
in early 1648. In April, they crossed into England and began a Royalist uprising. Glemham once again took command at Carlisle. However, the Scots army which invaded England in their support was defeated at the Battle of Preston, and the bands of northern Royalists were soon suppressed.
Glemham once again went into exile in 1648 and died in Holland in 1649.[
]
Private life
He married twice: firstly in 1619 Catherine, daughter of London merchant Sir Peter Vanlore, with whom he had 3 sons and 3 daughters and secondly in 1630 Mary, the daughter of Thomas Perient of Birch, Essex. He acquired the manor of Burwell, Lincolnshire by his first marriage.
References
External links
The Sealed Knot website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Glemham, Thomas
1590s births
1649 deaths
People from Suffolk Coastal (district)
Cavaliers
English MPs 1621–1622
English MPs 1624–1625