Thomas Scrope

Thomas Scrope (1723–1792) was an English landowner and Wilkite politician. He inherited while still young Coleby Hall, at Coleby in Lincolnshire, and represented Lincoln in the House of Commons from 1768 to 1774. His time in public life was interrupted by two brief periods during which he was confined as a lunatic.

Life He was the fifth son of Gervase Scrope of Cockerington and his wife Frances Lister, daughter of Thomas Lister.

Scrope put himself forward as a candidate in a 1756 by-election for New Romney. When Scrope in 1757 commanded a militia company under Sir John Cust, 3rd Baronet, Cust found him troublesome. Standing at Lincoln in 1761, Scrope came bottom of the poll. He petitioned against the election of Coningsby Sibthorp alleging bribery. The petition was withdrawn but Scrope was aggrieved at Sir William Meredith's failure to promote him, and made a scene from the Commons gallery on 18 November 1761, heckling Cust, the Speaker of the House. He was confined to a madhouse for about a month, writing an apology to Cust on 31 December.