801 Thomas Earp

Constituency : Newark 1874-85

Thomas  succeeded  Grosvenor  Hodgkinson  at  Newark.

Thomas  was  a  maltster  from  Derby. He  was  educated  at  the  Diocesan  School  in  Derby.He began work as  a  clerk at a wine merchants  and rapidly rose to manage  the  business. He  later   became  a  partner  in  two  brewing  firms . He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Newark  Agricultural  Show  and  a  local  philanthropist.

Thomas  was  a  strong  supporter  of  Gladstone.  He  supported  female  suffrage.

Thomas  was  defeated  when  the  seat  was  reduced  to  a  single  member  in  1885. He  was  mayor  again  in  1891  and  1892. He  retired  from  the  business  in  1905.

He  died  of  a  bronchial  attack  in  1910  aged  79.