Thomas Wakefield (1791–1871)[1] was an English industrialist and colliery owner, newspaper proprietor, and Whig local politician.
He was a most genial, kind-hearted, and pleasant fellow, the idol of his townsmen, and, from his immense influence and popularity, was generally known as KING TOM.
[5] He was involved in the development of Nottingham General Hospital, and as a member of the congregation of St Peter's Church active in promoting local Sunday schools.
[3][11] With his brother Francis the younger, ran the family textile company, from 1825 when the other partner John Hancock was bought out, a cotton mill in Mansfield.
His name was brought up at this time as a potential Whig parliamentary candidate for the two-member Nottingham constituency, to stand with Thomas Denman; but Sir Ronald Craufurd Ferguson was preferred.
[23] In 1836, when the Town Council of Nottingham met for the first time, Wakefield was elected as mayor;[24] nominally this was for the year 1835–6.
[25] In 1847 he sold out his major interest in the Nottingham Mercury, which he had used for two decades to campaign against enclosures, to Thomas Bailey.
[5] He died at the Police Office, where he was living, as Mayor's Sargeant, Inspector of Weights and Measures, and Billet Master, on 25 October 1871.