Thomas Finch (soldier)

Sir Thomas Finch (d. 1563) was an English nobleman, knight, soldier, and military commander.

An elder brother, Lawrence, who married Mary Kempe, died without issue, and Thomas succeeded to his father's property.

Early in 1563 he was appointed, in succession to Sir Adrian Poynings, knight-marshal of the army then engaged in war about Le Havre.

Finch and his friends induced the captain - 'a very good seaman,' says Stow - 'to thrust into the haven before the tide,' and 'so they all perished' with the exception of 'seven of the meaner sort' (19 March).

He owned other land in Kent, and, on 9 December 1558, Aloisi Pruili, Cardinal Pole's secretary, requested Cecil to direct Finch to allow the officers of the cardinal, then just dead, to dispose of oxen, hay, wood, and deer belonging to their late master in St. Augustine's Park, Canterbury.

Finch's heir, Moyle, created a baronet 27 May 1611, married in 1574 Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Heneage of Copt Hall, Essex; inherited Eastwell on his mother's death in 1587; obtained a license to enclose one thousand acres of land there, and to embattle his house, 18 January 1589, and died 14 December 1614.