Col. Thomas Hatcher, MP

Family and Education b. c.1589, 1st s. of Sir John Hatcher of Careby by Anne, da. of James Crewes of Fotheringay, Northants. educ. Emmanuel, Camb. 1603; L. Inn 1607. m. 14 Oct. 1617, Katherine, da. of William Ayscough of South Kelsey, Lincs., 1s. 1da. suc. fa. 1640.2

Offices Held

J.p. Lincs. (Kesteven) c. 1634-50, 1656-62, (Holland) 1656-July 1660; commr. for militia, Lincs. 1642, 1648, Mar. 1660, sequestration 1643, levying of money 1643, defence, eastern association 1643, assessment, Lincs. 1644-5, (Lindsey and Kesteven) 1647, Aug. 1660-1, (Lindsey) 1648, Lincs. 1649, 1657, Jan. 1660, 1661-3, 1664-d., new model ordinance 1643, oyer and terminer, Midland circuit July 1660.

Capt. of horse (parliamentary) 1642, col. by 1645; gov. Lincoln 1644-5.3

Commr. for Scotland 1643-6, exclusion from sacrament 1646, compounding 1647-8, scandalous offences 1648, Admiralty 1648.

Biography Hatcher’s great-grandfather, regius professor of physic and vice-chancellor of Cambridge University, acquired the manor of Careby and settled in Lincolnshire. He was himself the first member of his family to enter Parliament. A Puritan by religion, he was in opposition in the Parliaments of 1624 and 1628, and an active Parliamentarian in the Civil War. Though he abstained from the House after Pride’s Purge, he sat in the Protectorate Parliaments, and did not return with the secluded Members in February 1660. He was defeated at the general election for the county, but Sir Anthony Irby found him a seat at Boston. He was named as a manager in Lord Wharton’s list of friends, although only a few Members are assigned to him and those mostly his kinsmen. An inactive Member, he made no recorded speeches and as ‘Colonel Hatcher’ he was appointed to only ten committees. He helped to draft the proclamation ordering officers of justice to perform their duties, and was appointed to the committees for the continuation of judicial proceedings and confirmation of the privileges of Parliament. He was one of the commissioners deputed to administer the oaths of allegiance and supremacy to Members on 4 June. He was appointed to the committees to consider the petition from the intruded dons at Oxford and the estate bill of (Sir) William Wray. Wharton sent him a copy of the case for modified episcopacy; but he apparently remained a rigid Presbyterian and was removed from the commission of the peace. He was buried at Careby on 11 July 1677.4

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690 Authors: M. W. Helms / Paula Watson Notes 1. Abstained after Pride’s Purge, 6 Dec. 1648. 2. Lincs. Peds. (Harl. Soc. li), 469. 3. E. Peacock, Army Lists, 53; CSP Dom. 1644-5, p. 58; J. W. F. Hill, Tudor and Stuart Lincoln, 159. 4. Keeler, Long Parl. 208; CSP Dom. 1641-3, p. 475; 1644-5, p. 395; 1645-7, p. 16.