Constituency : Chesterfield 1892-1906
Thomas unseated the Liberal Unionist Alfred Barnes by 182 votes at Chesterfield.
Thomas was a wealthy coal owner . He was an unsuccessful candidate at Barkston Ash in 1885 and at Chesterfield in 1886 when he was narrowly defeated.
Thomas broke with the Coal-Owners Federation during the 1893 lockout and supported the miners' case against reduced wages.
In 1898 Thomas visited the slums of Glasgow and criticised living conditions there.
Nearly all Thomas's parliamentary contributions were on Africa and the persistence of slavery there.
In 1905 Thomas wrote to Campbell-Bannerman repudiating Rosebery : "He has now repudiated every good cause for which he fought under his late leader Mr Gladstone".
Thomas stood down in 1906 and died two months later aged 59.
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