Thomas Meres

Thomas Meres (1634–1715) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1659 and 1710.

Meres was the eldest son of Robert Meres, DD, of Kirton, Lincolnshire, chancellor of Lincoln cathedral, and his first wife Elizabeth Williams, daughter of Hugh Williams of Wegg. Caernarvonshire. He was baptised on 17 September 1634. He was educated at Sleaford Grammar School under Mr Gibson and was admitted at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge on 23 January 1651 aged 15.^[1] He was admitted to Inner Temple in 1652 and in the same year succeeded to his father's estates. In 1659, he was elected Member of Parliament for Lincoln in the Third Protectorate Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Lincoln in 1660 for the Convention Parliament. He was knighted on 11 June 1660 and was also called to the bar in 1660. In 1661 he was re-elected MP for Lincoln in the Cavalier Parliament.^[2]

Meres was re-elected MP for Lincoln in the two elections of 1679 and was Commissioner of the Admiralty from 1679 to 1684. He was also elected MP for Lincoln in 1681 and 1685. He was next elected MP for Lincoln in 1701 and again in 1702. He sat until 1710.

Meres married Anne de la Fountaine, daughter of Sir Erasmus de la Fountaine of Kirby Bellars, Leicestershire in January 1658. They had three sons (Thomas, John and William) and three daughters. Thomas was disinherited; he was thus succeeded by his second son John.

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