About Peter Thompson
Lived 1698 – 1770 (aged 72). Peter Thompson was a British politician.
Sir Peter Thompson (30 October 1698 – 31 October 1770) was an English merchant, collector and MP.
He was a younger son of Captain Thomas Thompson of Poole, Dorset.
He became an eminent merchant in Bermondsey, London, trading in Hamburg and Newfoundland. He was made High Sheriff of Surrey for 1745-46 and knighted the same year. In 1746, he travelled to Berlin during the War of the Austrian Succession. He sat in Parliament as MP for St Albans from 1747 to 1754.
He built a large town house in Poole, now a grade I listed building, and became a collector and antiquary, being created a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and, in 1746, a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Thompson was a friend of Joseph Ames (author), and died unmarried and was succeeded by his brother James.
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Important facts
People in Peter Thompson's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
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Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Peter Thompson's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Peter Thompson?
British antiquary and MP
When was Peter Thompson born?
Peter Thompson was born on 30 October 1698.
When did Peter Thompson die?
Peter Thompson died on 31 October 1770.
What was Peter Thompson's occupation?
Peter Thompson was a politician.
What nationality was Peter Thompson?
Peter Thompson was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Peter Thompson (antiquarian)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Peter Thompson. https://biography.guide/peter-thompson-politician/
MLA: "Peter Thompson." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/peter-thompson-politician/.
Chicago: "Peter Thompson." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/peter-thompson-politician/.
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