Sir Thomas Webster, 1st Baronet

In 1703 he purchased the estate of Copped Hall in Essex for over £20,000 from Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset and was created a Baronet the same year.

Webster was elected the Whig Member of Parliament for Colchester at a by-election on 18 December 1705.

He was appointed to the commission for the London lieutenancy in 1708, and stood for election as an alderman for Portsoken ward, but was defeated at the poll to secure nomination by a large margin.

He was returned again in a contest at the 1713 British general election but was again unseated on petition in 1714 after a dispute over the generous creation of Freemen, who had the right to vote, by the Whig dominated council.

The published catalogue of the Muniments of Battle Abbey (1835) notes (p 199) that Sir Thomas's son and heir Whistler Webster's share of Henry Whistler's property, "independent of what he derived from his father, Sir Thomas" was £68,000.