Thomas Parry

Who was Thomas Parry?

Sir Thomas Parry was an English politician and diplomat during the Tudor period.

He was the son of Sir Thomas Parry Senior of Welford Park in Berkshire, the Controller of the Royal Household, by his wife, Anne, the daughter of Sir William Reade of Boarstall in Buckinghamshire. He was educated at Winchester School.

He first entered Parliament in 1571 as member for Bridport. He was appointed High Sheriff of Berkshire for 1575-76 and 1587–88 and made a deputy lieutenant for Berkshire in 1593.

From 1586 to 1587, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, he was the Member of Parliament for Berkshire. and again in 1614, in between being MP for St Albans. In 1601, he was knighted and appointed English ambassador to France for four years. Upon his return to England, he was made Chancellor to the Duchy of Lancaster.

He died intestate in 1616 at his home, Hamstead Marshall House, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. He had married Dorothy Brooke of Bristol, maid of honour to the Queen; they had no children.