Thomas Bere (1652–1725)

He presented a petition to Parliament from Tiverton on 8 January 1692 complaining about Irish woollen manufacture, which was taking away many Devon workers.

He was returned unopposed again for Tiverton at the 1695 English general election and signed the Association in February 1696 and voted tofix the price of guineas at 22 shillings in March.

After supporting the Court over the ‘place clause’ of the regency bill, he was appointed Commissioner for victualling the navy in 1706, holding the post for the rest of his life.

He was returned unopposed as a Whig at the 1708 British general election and voted for the naturalization of the Palatines in 1709 and for the impeachment of Dr Sacheverell in 1710.

At the 1710 British general election he was caught up in a triple return for Tiverton, and after the poll was declared void, he lost the seat at a by-election.