Thomas Turgis
Encyclopedia
Thomas Turgis was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
between 1659 and 1704.
Turgis was the eldest surviving son of Thomas Turgis, grocer of London and his first wife Ebbot Urry, daughter of Thomas Urry of Gatcombe, Isle of Wight. He was baptised on 7 October 1623. In 1648 he was made freeman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers
and was assistant to the Company to 1687. He succeeded to the proprty of his wealthy father in 1651 and purchased Lower Gatton in Surrey in 1654. He acquired a number of other manors in Surrey, and was considered one of the wealthiest commoners in England.
In 1659, Turgis was elected Member of Parliament
for Gatton
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
. He was commissioner for militia for Surrey in March 1660. In April 1660, Turgis was re-elected MP for Gatton, when he was opposed for the only time in his career. He was commissioner for sewers in August 1660 and commissioner for assessment for Surrey from August 1660 to 1680. He became an alderman for Farringdon Without
ward in the City of London from 1 to 23 July 1661. In 1661 he was re-elected MP for Gatton in the Cavalier Parliament
. He was commissioner for recusants for Surrey in 1675 and commissioner for rebuilding of Southwark in 1677. He was returned for Gatton in both elections in 1679 and in 1681 and 1685. In 1687 he was removed as assistant of the Grocers’ Company. He was commissioner for assessment for London and Surrey from 1689 to 1690, He was re-elected MP for Gatton in 1689, 1690, 1695, 1698 and both elections in 1701.
Turgis died at the age of 60 and was buried at St. Dionis Backchurch, leaving ‘an estate of above £100,000’. Gatton was inherited by William Newland
, who was elected for Gatton at the age of 21 and sat for the rest of his life.
Turgis married Mary Beake, daughter of William Beake, Merchant Taylor of London by 1655. They had three sons and a daughter.
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...
between 1659 and 1704.
Turgis was the eldest surviving son of Thomas Turgis, grocer of London and his first wife Ebbot Urry, daughter of Thomas Urry of Gatcombe, Isle of Wight. He was baptised on 7 October 1623. In 1648 he was made freeman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers
Worshipful Company of Grocers
The Worshipful Company of Grocers is one of the 108 Livery Companies of the City of London. It is ranked second in the order of precedence of the Companies and, having been established in 1345, is one of the original Great Twelve City Livery Companies....
and was assistant to the Company to 1687. He succeeded to the proprty of his wealthy father in 1651 and purchased Lower Gatton in Surrey in 1654. He acquired a number of other manors in Surrey, and was considered one of the wealthiest commoners in England.
In 1659, Turgis 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 Gatton
Gatton (UK Parliament constituency)
Gatton was a parliamentary borough in Surrey, one of the most notorious of all the rotten boroughs. It elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1450 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
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 militia for Surrey in March 1660. In April 1660, Turgis was re-elected MP for Gatton, when he was opposed for the only time in his career. He was commissioner for sewers in August 1660 and commissioner for assessment for Surrey from August 1660 to 1680. He became an alderman for Farringdon Without
Farringdon Without
Farringdon Without is a Ward in the City of London, England. The Ward covers the western fringes of the City, including the Middle Temple, Inner Temple, Smithfield Market and St Bartholomew's Hospital, as well as the area east of Chancery Lane...
ward in the City of London from 1 to 23 July 1661. In 1661 he was re-elected MP for Gatton in the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
. He was commissioner for recusants for Surrey in 1675 and commissioner for rebuilding of Southwark in 1677. He was returned for Gatton in both elections in 1679 and in 1681 and 1685. In 1687 he was removed as assistant of the Grocers’ Company. He was commissioner for assessment for London and Surrey from 1689 to 1690, He was re-elected MP for Gatton in 1689, 1690, 1695, 1698 and both elections in 1701.
Turgis died at the age of 60 and was buried at St. Dionis Backchurch, leaving ‘an estate of above £100,000’. Gatton was inherited by William Newland
William Newland
William Newland is the name of:* William C. Newland, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina* William D. Newland , United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient* William R. Newland , New Zealand-British studio potter...
, who was elected for Gatton at the age of 21 and sat for the rest of his life.
Turgis married Mary Beake, daughter of William Beake, Merchant Taylor of London by 1655. They had three sons and a daughter.