HALL, Thomas (1619-67), of Worcester.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

Family and Education

bap. 5 Aug. 1619, 1st s. of Richard Hall of Ludlow, Salop by Mary, da. of Richard Nash of Worcester. educ. Christ Church, Oxf. 1637; I. Temple 1638, called 1646. m. Elizabeth, da. of Robert Skinner, bp. of Worcester 1663-70, s.p. suc. fa. 1654.1

Offices Held

Town clerk, Worcester 1654-d., commr. for assessment, Worcester 1657, Aug. 1660-d., Worcs. 1663-4; oyer and terminer, Western circuit July 1660; j.p. Worcs. July 1660-6.2

Biography

Hall’s father, though not a member of Ludlow corporation, was of sufficient status to be named trustee of a local charity in 1634. He was then styled ‘gentleman’, which may mean that he was an attorney of the court of the marches. Such a background would account for Hall’s ‘jeering or taunting words against the Parliament’ which was so hostile to the Ludlow court, though fortunately only one witness could be found to depose to seeing him ‘ride in arms with a party of horse of the King’s forces upon some design against the Parliament forces at Stanton Lacy’ (where his father had a farm on long lease). Hall’s father retired to another farm of his when the court was finally abolished, but Hall himself, after qualifying as a barrister, settled in Worcester, which his uncle John Nash had represented in the Long Parliament, and became town clerk under the Protectorate. Hall was probably an Anglican, but, never having been convicted of delinquency, he was eligible at the general election of 1660. He doubtless supported the Court in the Convention, but he was not an active Member, for he was named to only seven committees, of which the most important was for the navigation bill, and he made no recorded speeches. He was buried at St. Helen’s, Worcester on 28 Sept. 1667. His property eventually passed through his sister to her nephew Thomas Vernon, Tory MP for the county from 1715 to 1721.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / John. P. Ferris

Notes

  • 1. Ludlow Reg. (Salop Par. Reg. Hereford dioc. xiii), 158; PCC 391 Alchin; W. R. Williams, Worcs. Members, 98; Keeler, Long Parl. 284; Vis. Northants. (Harl. Soc. lxxxvii), 202.
  • 2. Worcester chamber order bk. 1650-78, ff. 18, 69; Townshend’s Diary (Worcs. Rec. Soc.) ii. 276.
  • 3. Ludlow Reg. 385; SP23/166, ff. 209-10; Nash, Worcs. i. 327; Vis. Worcs. ed. Metcalfe, p. 97; PCC 33 Hene; Par. Bk. of St. Helen’s Worcester ed. Wilson, ii. 139.