Thomas Best (MP for Canterbury)

For other MPs of this name, see Thomas Best (MP for Lewes) and Thomas Best (MP for Ripon).

Thomas Best (born 1713 – 26 March 1795) was an English Tory politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1741 and 1768.

Best was the son of Mawdistly Best and his wife, Elizabeth Fearne. The family were brewers of Chatham.^[1] He was educated at University College, Oxford.^[2]

In 1741, Best was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Canterbury and held the seat to 1747. He sought re-election in 1754, but withdrew before the election because he did not expect to gain enough support.^[2] He was elected MP for Canterbury again in 1761 in a sharply contested election^[3] and held the seat until he was defeated in 1768.^[4]

Best lived at Chilston Park, Boughton Malherbe. He was lieutenant-governor of Dover Castle and deputy warden of the Cinque Ports from 1762 until his death at the age of 81.^[2]

Best married Caroline Scott daughter of George Scott of Scotts Hall on 3 January 1743.^[2] They had no children and he left his property to his nephew George Best.^[5]

References

1. Rosemary A Keen Messrs Best, Brewers of Chatham
2. J. Brooke, Lewis Namier The House of Commons 1754-1790, Volume 3
3. Pages 99 to 102,Lewis Namier, The Structure of Politics at the Accession of George III (2nd edition - London: St Martin's Press, 1957)
4. Scott, James Renat (1876). Memorials of the Family of Scott, of Scot's-hall, in the County of Kent. With an Appendix of Illustrative Documents. J. R. Scott. p. 250. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
5. Parishes: Smeeth, The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 8 (1799), pp. 2-9. Date accessed: 21 November 2010.

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Sir Thomas Hales, Bt Thomas May	Member of Parliament for Canterbury 1741–1754 With: Thomas Watson 1741–1745 Sir Thomas Hales, Bt 1745–1747 Matthew Robinson-Morris 1747–1754	Succeeded by Matthew Robinson-Morris Sir James Creed
Preceded by Matthew Robinson-Morris Sir James Creed	Member of Parliament for Canterbury 1761–1768 With: Richard Milles	Succeeded by Richard Milles William Lynch