Thomas Lewis (18 October 1690 – 5 April 1777), of Harpton Court, near Radnor was a British 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 ...
for 46 years from 1715 to 1761.
Lewis was the son of Colonel Thomas Lewis of Harpton Court, Radnor and his wife Margaret Howes, daughter of William Howes of Greenham, Berkshire. He matriculated at
Wadham College, Oxford on 25 May 1709, aged 17.
Lewis was first elected
Member of Parliament for
New Radnor at the
1715 general election. In 1716, he voted against the septennial bill, but from then on he supported the government. He was returned for Radnor in the general elections of
1722,
1727,
1734,
1741,
1747 and
1754. He was eventually defeated in
1761.
From 1768 Lewis tried to effect the return of his nephew
John Lewis as MP for New Radnor, but he was twice elected and then unseated on petition. On the first occasion it was found there were technical irregularities in the historical creation of freemen in the borough. On the second occasion there was a dispute over the eligibility of non-residents to vote.
Lewis died at Harpton Court in 1777. He had married Ann Wright, the daughter and heiress of Sir Nathan Wright, 3rd Bt., of
Cranham Hall, Essex on 12 February 1743. He left no children and was succeeded by his nephew,
John Lewis, MP.
References
1690 births
1777 deaths
Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Welsh constituencies
British MPs 1715–1722
British MPs 1722–1727
British MPs 1727–1734
British MPs 1734–1741
British MPs 1741–1747
British MPs 1747–1754
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