Thomas Hungerford (speaker)
Sir Thomas (de) Hungerford (circa 1330 - 3 December 1397) was the first person to be recorded in the rolls of the English parliament as holding the (pre-existing) office of Speaker of the House of Commons[1].
Biography
Sir Thomas was the son of Thomas Hungerford and Elizabeth Fitzjohn and was born in Farleigh, England in Somerset county.
In 1355, he became sheriff and escheator for Wiltshire. He also served as steward of the household of John of Guant and bailiff for the Bishop of Salisbury.
Hungerford bought Farliegh Monford house in Somerset in 1369 and transformed it into Farliegh Hungerford Castle.
He was knighted in 1377 and became Speaker of the "Bad Parliament" through the patronage of his friend John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster.
He married in 1376 Joan Hussey, with whom he had seven children, Grace de Hungerford, Ralph, Robert, Peter, Thomas, John and Walter Hungerford, 1st Baron Hungerford who would also serve as Speaker of the House of Commons.
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References
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