Thomas Harley

Thomas Harley (c.1667–1738), of Kinsham Court, Herefordshire. was a British lawyer, diplomat and Tory politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons from 1698 to 1715. He was an ally of his cousin Robert Harley. Early life Harley was the eldest surviving son of Thomas Harley, of Kinsham Court, Herefordshire and his wife Abigail Saltonstall, daughter of Sir Richard Saltonstall of Huntwick and Woodsome, Yorkshire and granddaughter of Sir Richard Saltonstall . He succeeded his father in 1685. He was admitted at Middle Temple in 1682 and called to the bar in 1690. Career Harley was made a deputy lieutenant of Herefordshire in 1694, and was a commissioner for subscriptions to the land bank in 1696. He went abroad to Spain and Portugal in 1697, and observed the negotiations for the Treaty of Ryswick on the way home. With the support of his cousin Robert, he was returned in a contest as Member of Parliament for Radnorshire at the 1698 English general election. Like the rest of his family, he was politically a Tory, and a loyal supporter of his cousin. He was returned for Radnorshire unopposed at the first general election of 1701. He was blacklisted for opposing preparations being made for war in 1701, and signed a Tory rejoinder. He was returned unopposed again at the second general election of 1701 and voted on 26 February 1702 for the motion which vindicated the proceedings of the Commons in impeaching the four Whig Lords.