Sir Thomas Dyke, MP, of Horeham

Family and Education b. 10 Dec. 1619, 3rd s. of Thomas Dyke (d.1632), of Cranbrook, Kent by Joan, da. and coh. of Thomas Walsh of Horeham. educ. St. John’s, Camb. 1635; I. Temple 1636. m. 7 Aug. 1639, Catherine (d.1695), da. of Sir John Bramston, l.c.j.K.b., of Skreens, Roxwell, Essex, 3s. (1 d.v.p.) 9da. suc. bro. 1638; kntd. 19 June 1641.1

Offices Held

Commr. for militia, Suss. Mar. 1660, oyer and terminer, Home circuit July 1660; j.p. Suss. July 1660-d., dep. lt. Aug. 1660-d., commr. for assessment Aug. 1660-d., sewers, Wittersham marshes Dec. 1660.2

Biography Dyke’s family, though widespread in the south east, was of little account before his father acquired the manor of Horeham, 15 miles from Seaford, by marriage. His own marriage and his knighthood on the eve of the Civil War suggest royalist sympathies, but he managed to avoid involvement either in the war or in Cavalier plotting during the Interregnum, devoting himself to the improvement of his iron works. He held no local office before the return of the secluded Members, but became the first of the family to enter Parliament when he was returned for Seaford at the general election of 1660. He was an inactive Member of the Convention, being named only to the committee of elections and privileges. But he had given enough support to the Court for his candidature in 1661 to be endorsed by the lord warden. He was moderately active in the first eight sessions of the Cavalier Parliament, with 39 committees. He was among those appointed to hear the petition against iron imports on 19 Feb. 1662; but his only committee of political significance was for the additional corporations bill in 1664. He died on 13 Dec. 1669, and was buried at Waldron, leaving to his son an encumbered estate.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690 Authors: M. W. Helms / Basil Duke Henning Notes 1. Vis. Suss. (Harl. Soc. lxxxix), 38. 2. C181/7/71. 3. Suss. Arch. Colls. xxxii. 30; Adm. 2/1745, f. 38.

Thomas Dyke [Parents] [image] was born on 10 Jul 1618 in Horsham, Sussex. He was christened on 10 Jul 1618 in Horsham, Sussex. He was buried on 13 Dec 1669 in Waldron, Sussex. He married Catherine Bramston on 7 Aug 1639 in Skreens, Essex. They had the following children: M i John Dyke. M ii Sir Thomas Dyke was born in 1649. He died on 31 Oct 1706. M iii William Dyke. F iv Mary Dyke. F v Catherine Dyke was buried on 5 Sep 1707. F vi Elizabeth Dyke. F vii Bridget Dyke. F viii Sarah Dyke. F ix Dorothy Dyke. F x Bridget Dyke was christened on 19 Jun 1654. She died on 7 Nov 1722. F xi Martha Dyke. F xii Lucy Dyke.