Thomas Yorke (1658–1716)

Thomas Yorke (1658-1716) of Gouthwaite Hall and Richmond, Yorkshire was an English landowner and politician, who sat in the House of Commons of England and Great Britain between 1689 and 1716, with two short intervals.

Gouthwaite Hall, Nidderdale, North Yorkshire

Yorke was born in 1658, the son of John Yorke of Gouthwaite Hall and his wife Mary Norton daughter of Maulger Norton of St Nicholas, near Richmond.^[1] His father was MP for Richmond in the North Riding of Yorkshire from 1661 to 1663. At the age of four he inherited his father's estates Stonebeck Down (including Gouthwaite Hall) and Stonebeck Up in Nidderdale and in Richmond. In 1674 his mother Mary added to his inheritance by the purchase of the manor of Bewerley in Nidderdale.^[2] In 1680 he married Katherine Lister, the heiress of estates in Lancashire.^[3]

Yorke was elected Member of Parliament for the Richmond constituency in the Convention Parliament of 1689 as a Whig. He lost his seat in 1690, but was re-elected in 1695. He was returned unopposed in all succeeding elections until the 1710 general election when he stood down in favour of his son John. He regained his seat a Richmond in the 1713 general election and held it in 1715.^[1]

Yorke died in 1716 and was buried in Richmond parish church.^[4] He left 3 sons and 4 daughters.

References

Further reading

• Anne Ashley Cooper (1988). Yorke Country. ISBN 0 9511112 21.