Sir Thomas Williams, 1st Baronet (c. 1621 – 1712) was a Welsh medical doctor and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

from 1675 to 1679. He was "Chymical Physician" to King Charles II.

Early life

Williams was the son of Thomas Williams, of Talyllyn, Breconshire, and his wife Mary Pare, daughter of John Pare of Poston, Herefordshire.

Career

He practised medicine in Kent and was admitted on 11 February 1660 as an Extra Licentiate of the College of Physicians, London. He was created M.D. at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

on 5 March 1669. He became Chymical Physician to Charles II on 19 June 1670, and was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

of Eltham (a mistake for Elham, near Canterbury) on 12 November 1674. In 1675, he was elected Member of Parliament for

Weobley Weobley ( ) is an ancient settlement and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in Herefordshire, England. Formerly a market town, the market is long defunct and the settlement is today promoted as one of the county's black and white village ...

in a by-election to the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

until he was unseated in 1678.

Personal life

Williams married twice. His first marriage, which took place before 1653, was to Anne Hogbeane, daughter of John Hogbeane, barrister of Elham, Kent. This union produced two children: * Sir John Williams (1653–1723), eldest son and heir * Sir Edward Williams (1659–1721), MP for

Breconshire Brecknockshire ( or ), also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon, was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolishment in 1974. It was created in 1536 under the Laws in Wales ...

Anne died and was buried at Elham on 18 February 1664. He married secondly by licence dated 21 December 1666 Grace Carwardine, widow of Madley, Herefordshire and daughter of Thomas Lewis, of the Moor, Herefordshire. The couple had two further children: * James Williams (d. 1727),

Prebendary A prebendary is a member of the Catholic Church, Catholic or Anglicanism , Anglican clergy, a form of canon (priest) , canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in part ...

of St. Paul's * Thomas Williams (d. c. 1700) Sir Thomas died at the age of about 90 and was buried on 12 September 1712, at Glasbury, Breconshire.

References

1620s births 1712 deaths Year of birth uncertain English MPs 1661–1679 Baronets in the Baronetage of England 17th-century English medical doctors Alumni of the University of Cambridge {{1661-England-MP-stub