Thomas Drake Tyrwhitt-Drake

Captain Thomas Drake Tyrwhitt-Drake (January 14, 1749 – October 18, 1810) born Thomas Drake, later Thomas Drake Tyrwhitt, was a British Member of Parliament for Amersham from 1795-1810.

Early life and family

Thomas Drake was born on 14 January 1749 the second but oldest surviving son of William Drake, MP for Amersham from 1746 to 1796, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Raworth of London. He was educated at Westminster School and Brasenose College, Oxford. His elder brother was William Drake, who predeceased their father. Thomas adopted the surname Tyrwhitt in 1776 in order to inherit the estates of his cousin Sir John de la Fountain Tyrwhitt, 6th Baronet, and then the additional surname of Drake in 1796 when his father died. Together, they had five sons and three daughters: William Tyrwhitt-Drake (1785 - 1848) was a Member of Parliament for Amersham from 1810 to 1832. He is buried in Amersham with a monument by John Bacon.

He was largely a supporter of the administration of William Pitt the Younger, and did not oppose that of Henry Addington. He was considered less reliable in 1804 and voted to have Lord Melville prosecuted the following year. He went on to vote with ministers in 1810. He is not known to have spoken in the House. He died before the end of Parliament, on 18 October 1810, and his son, William Tyrwhitt filled his seat (his older son, Thomas, having been a Member since 1805).