Family and Education

b. ?1673, 1st s. of Thomas Edwards of Broad St., Bristol, attorney-at-law, by his 1st w. educ. Balliol, Oxf. 29 Oct. 1691, aged 18; M. Temple 1693, called 1698, bencher 1724. m. bef. 1701, Mary, o. surv. da. and h. of Sir William Hayman, merchant and mayor of Bristol, by Mary, sis. of Edward Colston, M.P., the wealthy Bristol philanthropist (d. 1721), 3da. suc. fa. 1727.

Offices Held

Biography

Thomas Edwards, whose wife inherited a considerable fortune from her uncle, Edward Colston,1 succeeded to Colston’s Bristol seat in 1713. Described as a Tory who might often vote Whig, he was defeated in 1715, his petition, though read three times, making no progress. In 1719 he successfully contested a by-election at Wells, which had been represented under Queen Anne by his wife’s cousin Edward Colston junior. Returned there at the next three general elections, he was unseated in 1735, never standing again. His only recorded vote was against the Government on the repeal of the Septennial Act in 1734. He died intestate about June 1743, when administration was granted to his daughter Sophia Ready, afterwards Colston.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: R. S. Lea

Notes

• 1. PCC 111 Degg, 236 Buckingham, 163 Farrant.