Background
Sir Thomas was the son of Sir John Monson of South Carlton, Lincolnshire, a past Sheriff of Lincolnshire.
Sir Thomas was the son of Sir John Monson of South Carlton, Lincolnshire, a past Sheriff of Lincolnshire.
Thomas was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, matriculating at the age of fifteen in December 1579, and at Gray"s Inn, where he was admitted a student in 1583.
Sir Thomas"s younger brother was Admiral Sir William Monson. Sir Thomas was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1592 and High Sheriff of Lincolnshire for 1597 and probably knighted the same year. Under James I Monson thrived.
He was made Keeper of the Armoury at Greenwich, Master of the Armoury at the Tower of London and Master Falconer to the King.
He was created a hereditary baronet in 1611, one of the first in the Baronetage of England. But in 1615 his position of trust at the Tower of London brought about a situation which led to his arrest as one of the participators in the 1613 murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.
He was eventually released however, after a year in the Tower, his reputation and finances ruined. He died in 1641 and was buried in South Carlton.
Addled Parliament]
He then served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire (1597–1598), Castle Rising (1604–1611), and finally Cricklade in 1614. (1600–1683), a member of parliament under Charles I. Another son was William Mounson, 1st Viscount Monson (c 1607-1678), who was created an Irish peer as Viscount Monson of Castlemaine in 1628. Having been a member of the court which tried Charles I the viscount was deprived of his honours and was sentenced to imprisonment for life in 1661.