COVENTRE, Thomas II (d.1451), of Devizes, Wilts.

A member of one of the leading families in Devizes, it was with William Coventre III, who was probably his brother, that Thomas was returned to the second Parliament of 1414. He was present with his kinsmen, John Coventre I, William Coventre III and John Coventre†, junior, at the election of the Wiltshire knights of the shire to the Parliament of 1422, to which John I and William III were returned as burgesses. In 1423 he stood surety for the attendance in Parliament of John I. It was during his term of office as mayor of Devizes that, in 1430, he acted as a tax collector in the county at large. In 1442 he stood surety for Robert Spetchley†, parliamentary burgess-elect for Devizes.3C219/13/1, 2, 15/2.

Coventre died between June and November 1451, having made in his will dated 15 June provision for the poor in an almshouse which he himself had founded on the north side of St. John’s church, Devizes. Following the death of his widow most of his property was to pass to the corporation, for the continued maintenance of the almshouse, every mayor of the borough thereafter receiving 20s. as a reward for his labour in this respect.4PCC 17 Rous; Wilts. Arch. Mag. ii. 254-5; VCH Wilts. x. 308.