Thomas Best (MP)

Thomas Best (c. 1713 - 26 March 1795) was an English Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1741 and 1768.

Best was the son of Mawdistly Best and his wife Elizabeth Fearne. The family were brewers of Chatham.[1] He was educated at University College, Oxford.[2]

In 1741, Best was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Canterbury and held the seat to 1754. He sought re-election in 1754, but withdrew before the election because he did not expect to gain enough support.[2] He was elected MP for Canterbury again in 1761 and held the seat until he was defeated in 1768.[3]

Best lived at Chilston Park, Boughton Malherbe. He was lieutenant-governor of Dover and deputy warden of the Cinque Ports from 1762 until his death at the age of 81.[2]

Best married Caroline Scott daughter of George Scott of Scotts Hall on 3 January 1743.[2] They had no children and he left his property to his nephew George Best.[4]

References

  1. ^ Rosemary A Keen Messrs Best, Brewers of Chatham
  2. ^ a b c d J. Brooke, Lewis Namier The House of Commons 1754-1790, Volume 3
  3. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 2)
  4. ^ Parishes: Smeeth, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 8 (1799), pp. 2-9. Date accessed: 21 November 2010.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Sir Thomas Hales, Bt
Thomas May		 Member of Parliament for Canterbury
1741-1754
With: Thomas Watson 1741-1745
Sir Thomas Hales, Bt 1745-1747
Matthew Robinson-Morris 1747-1754		 Succeeded by
Matthew Robinson-Morris
Sir James Creed
Preceded by
Matthew Robinson-Morris
Sir James Creed		 Member of Parliament for Canterbury
1761-1768
With: Richard Milles		 Succeeded by
Richard Milles
William Lynch