The eldest son and heir of William Bladen of Newton Solney in South Derbyshire and Mary Young, his family left London in 1626[1] where they had a printing/bookselling business at St Paul's Churchyard to live amongst Protestant settlers in Dublin.
During the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Thomas was under siege at Geashill Castle with the Digby family (headed by the widowed Lady Offaly).
[3] On 25 March 1645 Thomas became the Vicar of St Margaret's Church in Rainham, Kent,[4] a position he was to retain for ten years, after which he returned to Ireland as Commonwealth Minister of Duleek.
When his father died the following year, Thomas assumed responsibility for the family's printing and book-selling business in Castle Street, Dublin and in London.
[6][7] After his father's death in 1663, Thomas took over the Bladen print and book-selling business which had a presence in both Dublin and London, though in a supervisory capacity, as he continued his ministry too.