Thomas Jones (died 1558 or 1559)

Thomas Jones (by 1492 – 1558/59) was a Welsh politician.[1] He became the first Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Pembrokeshire in 1542.[1][2]

Biography

Early life and first marriage

Jones came from a prominent Welsh family, counting Rhys ap Thomas among his uncles.[1] Little is known of Jones' early life, as he first appears in record in 1513, when he participated in a military expedition to France.[1] Following the expedition, he was appointed a Groom of the Chamber.[1] It is known that Jones' first language was Welsh.[3]

Jones was first married to Elizabeth Donne, daughter of Sir Edward Donne of Kidwelly, with whom he had two daughters.[4][1][5][6]

Political career

In 1527, Jones received the lordship of Llandovery Castle.[1] He was appointed to investigate his relative, Rhys ap Gruffydd, for treason in 1531, which culminated in Jones receiving Gruffydd's lands in Abermarlais.[1] This estate became Jones' main home, but he also received Emlyn Castle.[1] He was also appointed a Gentleman Usher in 1532.[1]

Second marriage and political career

Jones' political career was greatly aided by his marriage to second wife Mary Perrot (née Berkeley) in 1532.[7][8] The heiress of two noble English families in her own right, Mary was also the widow of Thomas Perrot of Haroldston, Pembrokeshire, a member of the landed gentry.[9] At the time of Jones' marriage to Mary, he was around 18 years her senior.[7] Mary brought three children of her own to the marriage, including her eldest, John Perrot.[7] With Mary, Jones had two daughters, Eleanor and Catherine, as well as four sons: Henry, Richard, James, and John.[10]

After Jones purchased the wardship of John Perrot from the Crown, he assumed responsibility for managing the Perrot estates near Haverfordwest.[11][12][13] He used these holdings to launch a successful political career, beginning with a seat on Haverfordwest’s town council and eventually becoming Pembrokeshire’s first MP in 1542.[14] Jones "came to dominate the administrative and political life of the county,"[15] and his efforts were instrumental in the creation of a parliamentary seat for Haverfordwest in 1545, restoring privileges to the district that had been removed by the Act of Union of 1536.[15][16]

After John Perrot came of age, Jones not only returned the Pembrokeshire estates to his stepson, but transferred ownership of properties he had acquired during his stewardship of them.[17][18][19] Jones and Mary then returned to Jones' Abermarlais estate.[20] Jones was probably elected to represent Pembrokeshire again in 1553, but stood aside in favour of stepson John, whose career Jones was greatly influential in advancing.[21][22]

Offices

Throughout his marriage to Mary, Jones held the following offices:[1][8]

  • Sheriff of Pembrokeshire (1540 – 1541; 1548 – 49)
  • Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire (1542 – 1553)
  • Sheriff of Carmarthenshire (1542 – 1543)
  • Sheriff of Cardiganshire (1543 – 1544)
  • Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire (elected 1558)

Death

Jones likely died in 1558 or early 1559, as probate was issued for his estate on 26 June 1559.[1] His will included a provision for a priest at the parish church of Llansadwrn to pray for him for three years following his death.[1]

Personal life

Jones was a patron of the arts, and was especially supportive of the career of Dafydd Fynglwyd.[3]

Though Jones was a strong Catholic, he was religiously tolerant.[3] He maintained warm relationships with son Henry and stepson John after their conversion to Protestantism, despite the religious instability throughout England and Wales in the Tudor period.[1][3][23]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "JONES, Thomas (by 1492-1558/59), of Abermarlais, Carm. and Haroldston, Pemb. – History of Parliament Online". Archived from the original on 13 April 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Spurrell, William (1860). Carmarthen and its neighbourhood. W. Spurrell. p. 92.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Turvey, Roger (2005). The treason and trial of Sir John Perrot. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. pp. 4–7. ISBN 978-0-7083-1912-3.
  4. ↑ McFarlane, Kenneth Bruce (1971). Hans Memling. Clarendon Press. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-19-817179-9.
  5. ↑ Cylchgrawn Hanes Cymru. University of Wales Press. 1976. p. 180.
  6. ↑ Turvey, Roger (2005). The treason and trial of Sir John Perrot. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. pp. 4–7. ISBN 978-0-7083-1912-3.
  7. 1 2 3 Turvey, Roger (2005). The treason and trial of Sir John Perrot. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. pp. 4–7. ISBN 978-0-7083-1912-3.
  8. 1 2 Fenton (Richard), Mr (1811). A Historical Tour Through Pembrokeshire. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Company. p. 480.
  9. ↑ Brady, Ciaran (1 October 2009), Quinn, James (ed.), "Perrot, Sir John", Dictionary of Irish Biography, Royal Irish Academy, doi:10.3318/dib.007284.v1, retrieved 21 March 2026
  10. ↑ Rowland, John (1877). Pedigree of the Ancient Family of Dolau Cothi: From the Earliest Period to the Present Time. Compiled from Various Sources. W. Spurrell. pp. 15–16.
  11. ↑ Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter de Vere; Powell, Roger S. (2006). Right Royal Bastards: The Fruits of Passion. Wilmington: Burke's Peerage & Gentry. pp. 125–128. ISBN 978-0-9711966-8-1.
  12. ↑ Licence, Amy (15 October 2014). The Six Wives & Many Mistresses of Henry VIII: The Women’s Stories. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp. 227–228. ISBN 978-1-4456-3379-4.
  13. ↑ Barnwell, Edward Lowry; Association, Cambrian Archaeological (1867). Perrot notes, or, Some account of the various branches of the Perrot family. J.R. Smith. p. 42.
  14. ↑ "JONES, Thomas (by 1492-1558/59), of Abermarlais, Carm. and Haroldston, Pemb. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Archived from the original on 13 October 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  15. 1 2 Turvey, Roger (8 November 2019). "Court and country: Pembrokeshire elites in the Household of Henry VIII". Pembrokeshire Historical Society. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  16. ↑ James, G. Douglas (1957). The town and county of Haverfordwest and its story. J.W. Hammond. p. 27.
  17. ↑ Beauclerk-Dewar, Peter de Vere; Powell, Roger S. (2006). Right Royal Bastards: The Fruits of Passion. Wilmington: Burke's Peerage & Gentry. pp. 125–128. ISBN 978-0-9711966-8-1.
  18. ↑ Licence, Amy (15 October 2014). The Six Wives & Many Mistresses of Henry VIII: The Women’s Stories. Amberley Publishing Limited. pp. 227–228. ISBN 978-1-4456-3379-4.
  19. ↑ Turvey, Roger (June 2004). "Household, Court and Localities: Sir Thomas Jones and the Rise of 'That Great Family of Jones of Abermarlais". Welsh History Review. 22 (1): 29–51.
  20. ↑ Turvey, Roger (2019). "A history and survey of Haroldston House and gardens, Pembrokeshire". Archaeologia Cambrensis. 151: 139158. doi:10.5284/1059147.
  21. ↑ "JONES, Thomas (by 1492-1558/59), of Abermarlais, Carm. and Haroldston, Pemb. | History of Parliament Online". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Archived from the original on 13 October 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "PERROT family, of Haroldston, Pembrokeshire | Dictionary of Welsh Biography". biography.wales. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "Church and Religion". www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2026.
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