Thomas Roe, 1st Baron Roe, known as Sir Thomas Roe between 1894 and 1917, was a British businessman and Liberal politician, particularly associated with the town of Derby.
Background
Of a modest background, Roe was the son of Thomas Roe, a timber merchant and Mayor of Derby, and his wife Deborah, daughter of Absalom Oakley. He began to work in the office of his father"s company, Messr Roe & Sons, timber merchants, at the age of fourteen and became a partner at the age of twenty-two.
Career
He entered Parliament for Derby in an 1883 by-election, a seat he held until he was defeated at the 1895 general election. Roe was again Mayor of Derby from 1896 to 1897 and returned to the House of Commons at the 1900 general election, when he was once again elected for Derby. Mayor of Derby for a third time from 1910 to 1911 he retired from the House of Commons in 1916.
He was knighted in 1894 and in 1917 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Roe, of the Borough of Derby.
Membership
22nd United Kingdom Parliament. 23rd United Kingdom Parliament. 24th United Kingdom Parliament.
25th United Kingdom Parliament.
27th United Kingdom Parliament. 28th United Kingdom Parliament.
29th United Kingdom Parliament. 30th United Kingdom Parliament]
At the age of 26 he became a member of the Derby Town Council and served as Mayor of Derby from 1864 to 1865.
He was particularly interested in education, and was one of the original members of the Derby School Board in 1870 and later served as Chairman of the Education Committee of the town council.