Family and Education

b. 27 Oct. 1699, 1st s. of Claude Fonnereau, Hamburg merchant, by his 1st w. Elizabeth, da. of Philip Bureau of La Rochelle; bro. of Zachary Philip Fonnereau. unm. suc. fa. 1740.

Offices Held

Biography

Thomas Fonnereau’s father, a Huguenot naturalized in 1693, was a Hamburg merchant, who is said to have made his fortune in the linen trade. He left the estate of Christ Church, Ipswich, to Thomas, as well as large money legacies to him and the other children.1 After standing unsuccessfully for Stamford in 1734, Fonnereau was returned unopposed for Sudbury, where he built up a strong interest. In Parliament he voted with the Government in all recorded divisions. On 15 Apr. 1745 he spoke in favour of regulating the choice of churchwardens and overseers of the poor, saying that under the present system a large part of the money raised was being misappropriated. He was given leave to bring in a bill, which reached the report stage and was then thrown out.2 During the rebellion of 1745 he made a speech to the grand jury of Suffolk, which was distributed at their request.3 In 1747 he extended his electoral influence to Aldeburgh, where he secured the return of his brother, Zachary Philip, against Pelham’s candidate. He and his brother had a share in the contract for victualling the Gibraltar garrison.4 He died 20 Mar. 1779.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

• 1. Agnew, Protestant Exiles from France, ii. 399-400, 485; Gent. Mag. 1740, p. 203.
• 2. Parl. Hist. xiii. 300-3.
• 3. Walpole, Mems. Geo. III, iii. 112 n. 2.
• 4. Add. 32866, ff. 393-4; 32868, ff. 170-1.