Thomas Chaplin was an English draper and politician who sat in the House of Commons

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...

 in 1659 and 1660.

Chaplin was the son of William Chaplin of Semer by his first wife Agnes and was baptised on 21 October 1591. His father was bailiff of Semer manor. Chaplin set himself up as a linen-draper in Bury St. Edmunds. He was a Presbyterian and supported the parliamentary cause in the Civil War. He was an alderman of Bury St. Edmunds by 1643 and remained until 1662. In 1643 he was commissioner for execution of ordinances for Bury and commissioner for the eastern association. He was commissioner for assessment for Bury from 1645 to 1652. In 1648 he was commissioner for militia for Suffolk. He was commissioner for assessment for Suffolk from 1649 to 1652. He was a J.P.

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...

 for Suffolk from 1650 to March 1660 and was a member of the high court of justice in 1650. From 1655 to 1656 he was commissioner for security and in 1657 he was commissioner for assessment for Suffolk and Bury 1657.

In 1659, Chaplin was commissioner for militia for Suffolk and 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,...

 for Bury St Edmunds

Bury St Edmunds (UK Parliament constituency)

Bury St Edmunds is a county constituency located in Suffolk and centred on the town of Bury St Edmunds. It elects one Member of Parliament to in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...

 in 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...

. He was commissioner for assessment for Suffolk in January 1660 and commissioner for militia for Bury in March 1660. In April 1660 he was re-elected MP for Bury St Edmunds for the Convention Parliament when he was involved in a double return. He was allowed to take his seat and then unseated.

Chaplin died between 24 April 1672 when he made his will and 25 November 1672 when it was proved.

Chaplin married Elizabeth Ignis, daughter of Robert Ignis alias Hynes, a goldsmith of Bury St. Edmunds. He had two sons and two daughters.