Family and Education

b. 20 Dec. 1684, 1st s. of John Coster of Bristol by his w. Mary.1 m. (1) in 1720, Jane, da. of Thomas Rous of North Nibley, Glos., 1da.2; (2) Astrea, da. of Sir John Smith, 2nd Bt., of Long Ashton, Som., s.p. suc. fa. 1718.

Offices Held

Biography

Thomas Coster inherited from his father, a Bristol industrialist, the Upper Redbrook copper works at Bristol, together with copper and tin mining interests in Cornwall.3 Returned as a Tory for Bristol in 1734 after a violent contest, he spoke against a motion for taking off the duties on Irish yarn,4 24 Mar. 1735; presented a petition against Spanish depredations on behalf of the society of merchant venturers of Bristol, 3 Mar. 1738; spoke in support of a bill for securing the trade to America, 15 May 1738; and voted against the Spanish convention 1739. He died 30 Sept. 1739 leaving to his only child, the wife of Robert Hoblyn, a fortune of £40,000.5

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Shirley Matthews

Notes

• 1. PCC 236 Tenison.
• 2. PCC 230 Henchman.
• 3. Bristol & Glos. Arch. Soc. Trans. lv. 224.
• 4. HMC Egmont Diary, ii. 162.
• 5. J. Latimer, Annals of Bristol in 18th cent. 224, 239.