Thomas Lascelles (1624-1697)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lascelles was a Member of the English Parliament for Northallerton, in the 17th Century. He was also an officer in the Commonwealth’s army and a landowner, responsible for one of the few extant buildings from the period of the English Commonwealth.
, who was an MP for the same constituency and was involved in the trial of Charles the First
.
and transformed part of the western range of the outer court into a house. This remains as a rare example of Commonwealth building in the UK.
) where he remained to be a member of the Rump Parliament
, again in February 1660 (when the Long Parliament was recalled) and then shortly afterwards in April of the same year. After a gap of nearly thirty years, he was returned again in 1688 and 1689, and then for the final time in 1695. In addition to his role as MP, he served as ‘Housekeeper of the Excise Office’ from 1693, with a salary of 200 pounds per annum.
introduced, "An Act for vesting the Real Estate late of Thomas Lassells Esquire deceased, in Trustees, to be sold, for the Payment of his Debts." The Bill was passed on 25th March 1699, allowing his wife, Rebecca, to dispose of lands and houses in Ealing
, Middlesex
.
Early life
He was born in 1624, the son of William Lascelles and Elizabeth Wadeson. His brother was Francis LascellesFrancis Lascelles
Francis Lascelles was a member of the landed gentry from an old Yorkshire family whose residence was at Stank Hall near Northallerton. During the English Civil War he fought for the Parliamentarians...
, who was an MP for the same constituency and was involved in the trial of Charles the First
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
.
Army Service
During the Commonwealth period, Thomas was a Captain in the army of Parliament (a Parliamentary note making it clear he had been in service since 1644) and served under Major General Thomas Harrison during the 1650s. He may well be the same man responsible for the capture on 1 April 1650 of Royalist privateer Captain Joseph Constant and his 30-man Dutch crew. After Constant's being sighted off the Yorkshire coast by a local fisherman, Lassells and Robert Colman led an attack party which surprised and captured them.Mount Grace Priory
In 1654 Thomas acquired Mount Grace CharterhouseMount Grace Priory
Mount Grace Priory, in the parish of East Harlsey, North Yorkshire, England is today the best preserved and most accessible of the ten medieval Carthusian houses in England....
and transformed part of the western range of the outer court into a house. This remains as a rare example of Commonwealth building in the UK.
Parliamentary Office
Thomas was returned five times : the first in 1645 (during the Long ParliamentLong Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
) where he remained to be a member of the Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
, again in February 1660 (when the Long Parliament was recalled) and then shortly afterwards in April of the same year. After a gap of nearly thirty years, he was returned again in 1688 and 1689, and then for the final time in 1695. In addition to his role as MP, he served as ‘Housekeeper of the Excise Office’ from 1693, with a salary of 200 pounds per annum.
Death
He died in 1697, a sitting MP, leaving his wife to approach Parliament for help in administering his estates. The House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
introduced, "An Act for vesting the Real Estate late of Thomas Lassells Esquire deceased, in Trustees, to be sold, for the Payment of his Debts." The Bill was passed on 25th March 1699, allowing his wife, Rebecca, to dispose of lands and houses in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.