Thomas Prothero

Thomas Prothero (or Protheroe) (1780–1853) was a Welsh lawyer and businessman, known as an opponent of John Frost and a mine owner.

He was born in Usk, the illegitimate (Enumerator entered all birthplace entries in 1851 local Malpas census as "Monmouthshire"; therefore, supposition that he was illegitimate are INCORRECT) son of Thomas Prothero, a lawyer who was involved also in local politics in Usk and the Beaufort estate.

The younger Thomas Prothero began life in the same directions as his father. He set up in business in Newport, Monmouthshire; and he became town clerk of Newport in 1807. He was later joined in his law firm by Thomas Phillips, who became another influential local figure; they were in partnership from 1824 to 1840. Prothero and his law firm were drawn into the electoral politics of the two local constituencies, Monmouthshire and Monmouth Boroughs.

He worked as agent for Sir Charles Morgan, 2nd Baronet M.P., both in politics and in management of the Tredegar Estate. The two were related: a local comment was that the antipathy Morgan's son Charles Morgan Robinson Morgan felt for Prothero was unjustified, because the younger Morgan was intending to stand for Parliament at Brecon, and Prothero's rent-gathering tactics in Monmouthshire would not matter there.

Together Prothero, Sir Charles Morgan and allies got the 1826 Newport Improvement Act through Parliament. It set up the Newport Improvement Commission, which took on a number of local government functions until it was wound up in 1850; its effectiveness in the public health area was limited. Its successor was the Newport Board of Health.

Prothero and Morgan parted company in 1831, Prothero modifying a largely conservative political position to support a measure of political reform in the run-up to the Great Reform Bill of 1832. He remained on good terms with William Addams Williams, Monmouthshire MP from 1831 to 1841, who was a reform candidate; and in Monmouth Boroughs Benjamin Hall was elected in 1831 with the backing of Phillips and Prothero.

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