VIVIAN, Thomas (1645-1716), of Trewan, Cornw.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715, ed. D. Hayton, E. Cruickshanks, S. Handley, 2002
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1695 - 1700

Family and Education

bap. 13 Nov. 1645, 1st s. of John Vivian of Trewan by Mary, da. of John Glanville of Kilsworthy, Devon; bro. of Francis† and John Vivian†.  educ. Exeter, Oxf. 1662; M. Temple 1662.  m. (1) lic. 26 Apr. 1665, Frances (d. 1707), da. of William Blathwayt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster, sis. of William Blathwayt*, s.p.; (2) 8 June 1710, Sarah, da. of Thomas Dodson*, s.psuc. fa. 1696.1

Offices Held

Stannator, Penwith and Kirrier 1703; clerk comptroller of Bd. of Green Cloth 1689–bef. 1702.2

Biography

In January 1691 Vivian obtained a Household post, presumably through the influence of his brother-in-law and cousin William Blathwayt, the secretary at war. On 22 Dec. 1693 he and his father petitioned for leave to bring in a private bill to sell part of the family’s estates in order to pay his father’s debts, an Act being necessary since the next heirs, the children of his brother John Vivian, were minors. The bill passed into law. Returned for Fowey as well as for Mitchell in 1695, Vivian was forecast as likely to oppose the government in the divisions on 31 Jan. 1696 over the proposed council of trade. He signed the Association, but having been granted leave of absence on 20 Mar. his name was absent from the record of those voting soon afterwards on the price of guineas. He was also absent from the vote on Sir John Fenwick’s† attainder on 25 Nov. 1696. On 10 Feb. 1697, the Speaker acquainted the House ‘that he had received a letter from Mr Vivian, who is sick in the country’ opting to sit for Fowey rather than for Mitchell, whereupon a new writ was issued for the latter borough. Re-elected for Fowey in 1698, he was forecast as likely to oppose the standing army and was classed as a Court placeman in an analysis of September 1698. In 1700 he was listed as a follower of William Blathwayt. He was defeated at Fowey in February 1701 and sought no further opportunity to re-enter the House. Like Lord Lansdown (George Granville*), he lost money following the bankruptcy of John Lund the banker, and in December 1713 was one of the three assignees to whom Lund’s annuities were to be paid. He was buried at St. Columb Major, Cornwall, on 8 June 1716.3

Ref Volumes: 1690-1715

Authors: Eveline Cruickshanks / Stuart Handley

Notes

  • 1. Vivian, Vis. Cornw. 535–6; London Mar. Lic. ed. Foster, 1390.
  • 2. J. Tregoning, Stannary Laws, 118.
  • 3. Morrice ent’ring bk. 3, p. 103; CSP Dom. 1690–1, p. 337; Vivian, 535; Cal. Treas. Bks. xxvii. 460.