Thomas Hyde Villiers Member of Parliament was a British politician from the Villiers family.
Background
The second son of the Honorary George Villiers (third son of Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon), he was educated at Street John"s College, Cambridge. He was the second son of George Villiers (1759–1827), who married, on 17 April 1798, Theresa, only daughter of John Parker, 1st Baron Boringdon.
Education
Thomas Villiers was educated at home. He was then sent with his eldest brother to Saint John"s College, Cambridge. In 1822 he graduated Bachelor of Arts, and in 1825 he proceeded Master of Arts
Career
He served in the Colonial Office from 1822-1825, and was agent for Berbice and Newfoundland. He held office as Secretary to the Board of Control from 1831 until 1832. A speech of his, aon colonisation, attracted the attention of the chancellor of the exchequer.
His chief source of income at that point was from the agencies for Berbice and Newfoundland.
At the general election in June 1826 Villiers was returned to parliament for the borough of Hedon in Yorkshire, and sat for it until the dissolution in 1830. In 1830 and 1831 he sat respectively for Wootton Bassett (a family borough) and Bletchingley, and voted for the Reform Bill.
A letter written by him in February 1829 was shown to Richard Lalor Sheil, who then brought about the suppression of the Catholic Association. He suggested in 1831 the formation of the commission that laid the foundation of the new poor law, and assisted in its preliminary inquiries.
On 18 May 1831 he became secretary to the board of control under Charles Grant.
Later in the year (2 November 1831) Villiers and Taylor entered as students at Lincoln"s Inn. On 22 August 1831 he made a long speech in the House of Commons on the Methuen treaty with Portugal. The committees on Indian affairs were organised by Villiers, with the assistance of Lord Althorp.
The renewal of the charter to the East India Company at this time preoccupied him.
At the time of his death Villiers was a candidate for the constituency of Penryn and Falmouth in Cornwall. After three months" suffering from an abscess in the head, he died on 3 December 1832 at Carclew, the seat of Sir Charles Lemon, near Penryn, where he was staying.
A monument was placed to his memory in Mylor church.
Politics
Not long afterwards Villiers gave up government service to embark on politics. Villiers travelled in Ireland in 1828, and set out his views in long letters to Taylor.
Membership
8th United Kingdom Parliament. 9th United Kingdom Parliament. 10th United Kingdom Parliament]
He was Member of Parliament for Hedon from 1826-1830, for Wootton Bassett in 1830, and for Bletchingley from 1831 to 1832.