Thomas Bradshaw (1733–1774) was a British civil servant and politician who sat in theHouse of Commons between 1767 and 1774.

Bradshaw was born. 25 January 1733 in humble circumstances and became clerk to a contractor for forage. Around 1757, he obtained a post as Clerk in theWar Office. He married Elizabeth Wilson, daughter of Robert Wilson, of Woodford, Essex and merchant of London, in November 1757. Elizabeth's sister had marriedAnthony Chamier who also became a public official at the War Office. In 1759 Bradshaw was promoted to first clerk at the War Office where he served underLord Barrington. When Barrington becameChancellor of the Exchequer in 1761, he took Bradshaw to theTreasury as chief clerk in December 1761. In February 1763 Bradshaw became commissioner of taxes. As an important civil servant, he became connected with several influential politicians, including theDuke of Grafton. When Grafton was first lord of the Treasury, he appointed BradshawSecretary to the Treasury in August 1767.^[2]

Grafton brought Bradshaw into the House of Commons asMember of Parliament forHarwich, a Government borough, at a by-election on 30 November 1767. Bradshaw helped Grafton with the1768 general election and was returned himself unopposed as MP forSaltash. From then on he acted mainly as Grafton's confidential man of business in both public and private matters. He acted as Grafton's go-between with Lord North, and when Grafton wanted to divorcehis duchess sought evidence of her adultery.^[2]

When Grafton resigned in January 1770 he obtained for Bradshaw the reversion for two lives of the office of auditor general of the plantations worth upwards of £2500 a year, and a pension of £1500 a year until the post became vacant. Bradshaw remained at the Treasury, at the request of Grafton and North to inductJohn Robinson into his duties. In April 1772 Bradshaw was made aLord of the Admiralty but when he stood for re-election at Saltash was defeated. He was then returned on petition on 8 June 1772. He was returned unopposed for Saltash at the1774 general election, shortly before his death. He is not known to have participated in parliamentary debates.^[2]

Bradshaw was noted for his “unbounded extravagance” and a “gay and social disposition”. He died on 6 November 1774, by one account from a fever and by another by shooting himself because he was burdened with debts. His will provided for his family on the strength of the auditorship-general of the plantations, but he never reached that office because it was only held only in reversion. His widow was given a secret service pension of £500 a year, and his two younger sons and daughter were given pensions of £100 a year.^[2] Bradshaw's sonRobert Haldane Bradshaw was also a public servant and politician.

• Richard Lee Bradshaw ‘’Thomas Bradshaw (1733-1774): A Georgian Politician in the Time of the American Revolution’’ Xlibris Corporation, 12 Aug 2011

• Media related toThomas Bradshaw at Wikimedia Commons

• 1733 births
• 1774 deaths
• British MPs 1761–1768
• British MPs 1768–1774
• British MPs 1774–1780
• Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies
• Lords of the Admiralty

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