Sir Thomas Adams, 1st Baronet

Sir Thomas Adams, BT
Effigy from the tomb of Sir Thomas Adams
Member of Parliament for the City of London
In office 1654–1658
Lord Mayor of the City of London
In office 1645–1645
Preceded by	Thomas Atkins
Succeeded by	John Gayer
Personal details
Born	1586 Wem, Shropshire, England
Died	24 February 1667/1668
Resting place	Sprowston, Norfolk, England
Children	Richard Adams
Education	Shrewsbury School
Alma mater	Cambridge University
Occupation	Draper, alderman

Sir Thomas Adams, 1st Baronet (1586 – 24 February 1667/1668) was the Lord Mayor of the City of London and a Member of Parliament for the City of London from 1654–1655 and 1656–1658.

Adams was born in 1586, at Wem, Shropshire, educated at Shrewsbury School and admitted as a sizar to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University in 1600. He received his BA in 1605–6, and became a draper in London.

In 1640, he was elected as sheriff, giving up his business, and applying himself to public affairs. He then served as Master of the Drapers' Company, sat as an alderman on the City of London Corporation, and was president of St Thomas' Hospital, which he probably saved from ruin, by discovering the frauds of a dishonest steward. In 1645, he was elected Lord Mayor of the City of London, showing unusual disinterestedness, declining the financial advantages usually made by the sale of places which become vacant.

His loyalty to Charles I was so well known that at the start of the English Civil War his house was searched by parliamentary supporters, hoping to find the king there. The next year he was committed to the Tower, and detained for some time. However, at length he became the oldest alderman upon the bench, and was consequently dignified with the honourable title of father of the city. Sir Thomas sat as an MP for London from 1654–1655 and 1656–1658.