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MASTER, Thomas (1690-1770), of the Abbey, Cirencester, Glos.
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Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
bap. 12 July 1690, 1st s. of Thomas Master, M.P. Cirencester 1685-7, 1689-90, of the Abbey, Cirencester by Elizabeth, da. and h. of John Driver of Aston, Glos. educ. Ch. Ch. Oxf. 1706. m. Apr. 1709, Joanna, da. and h. of Jasper Chapman of Stratton, Glos., 1s. suc. fa. 1710.
Offices Held
Biography
Thomas Master was descended from one of Queen Elizabeth’s physicians, who obtained a grant of the site of the abbey of Cirencester in 1565, since when each generation of the family had represented the borough. A life-long Tory, he himself was returned there without opposition for thirty-five years, sharing its representation with the Bathursts. Included in 1721 in a list of those likely to support an uprising in favour of the Stuarts,1 he consistently voted against the Government after George I’s accession. In his only recorded speech on 3 May 1736 he opposed the Quaker tithe bill. He retired in 1747 in favour of his son, on whose death in 1749, leaving an infant heir, he put up a cousin, John Coxe. In 1753 he emerged from his retirement to join with Coxe in standing once again for the borough, but ultimately withdrew.2 He died 5 Feb. 1770.