Sir Thomas Hele, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Hele, 1st Baronet JP | |
|---|---|
 Hele's monument Flete Chapel, All Saints Holbeton | |
| Member of Parliament for Okehampton | |
| In office May 1661 – November 1670 † | |
| Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon | |
| In office April 1661 – November 1670 † | |
| Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle | |
| In office November 1640 – January 1644 (excluded) | |
| High Sheriff of Devon | |
| In office January 1636 – November 1636 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1595 Flete House |
| Died | 7 November 1670 (aged 75) Holbeton |
| Resting place | All Saints Holbeton |
| Nationality | English |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Penelope Jackson (1629-1630) (2) Elizabeth Elwes (1632-1646) |
| Children | (1) Thomas Hele (1630–1665) (2) Samuel (1634-1672), Henry (1636-1677), Elizabeth (1638-1691) and Honor (1639-1710) |
| Occupation | Landowner and politician |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Royalist |
| Years of service | 1642 to 1646 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | First English Civil War Siege of Plymouth |
Sir Thomas Hele, 1st Baronet (c. 1595 to 7 November 1670) was a landowner from
Heavily fined by the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents, he avoided participation in politics during the Interregnum and after the Stuart Restoration in May 1660 was elected to the Cavalier Parliament. He died at home in Holbeton on 7 November 1670.
Personal details
Thomas Hele was the second surviving son of Thomas Hele (1568-1624) and Bridget Champernowne, 4th daughter of Sir Henry Champernowne (1538–1570) of Modbury in Devon. He became heir when his father disinherited his eldest son Samwell (1590-1661).[1]
In 1629, he married Penelope Jackson (?-1630), who died in childbirth the next year, leaving him a son Thomas Hele (1630–1665).[2] Elizabeth Elwes (?-1646)became his second wife in 1632 and they had nine children, only four of whom survived into adulthood; Samuel (1634-1672), Henry (1636-1677), Elizabeth (1638-1691) and Honor (1639-1710).[3]
Career
In 1626 Hele was elected
Following the death of the previous incumbent, he was appointed
When the First English Civil War began in August 1642, Hele supported Charles I; he sat in the Oxford Parliament and was excluded from his Parliamentary seat in January 1644. He also raised a regiment of cavalry, taking part in the Siege of Plymouth and defence of Pendennis Castle. He was heavily fined by the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents in 1646 and largely avoided participation in Royalist conspiracies during the Interregnum. Following the Stuart Restoration, he was elected for Okehampton in the Cavalier Parliament and held the seat until his death in 1670.[1]
Hele was buried in All Saints' Church, Holbeton, on 16 November 1670. His elaborate monument survives in the Fleet Chapel, at the east end of the north aisle of the church.[5] [a]
Notes
- Red hand of Ulsterbadge of a baronet in the arms which probably applies to Sir Thomas, the first baronet, but the style is earlier.
References
- ^ a b c Ferris & Hunneyball 2010.
- ^ Vivian 1895, p. 466.
- ^ a b Burke & Burke 1838, p. 255.
- ^ a b History of Parliament Online - Hele, Sir Thomas, 1st Bt.
- ^ John Stabb Some Old Devon Churches
Sources
- Burke, John; Burke, Bernard (1838). A genealogical and heraldic history of the extinct and dormant baronetcies of England. Scott, Webster & Gearn.
- Ferris, John P; Hunneyball, Paul (2010). HELE, Thomas (c.1595-1670), of Flete Damarell, Holbeton, Devon in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629. Boydell & Brewer.
- Vivian, John, ed. (1895). The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620. Exeter.