COSTER, Thomas (1684-1739), of Bristol, Glos.

Thomas Coster inherited from his father, a Bristol industrialist, the Upper Redbrook copper works at Bristol, together with copper and tin mining interests in Cornwall.Bristol & Glos. Arch. Soc. Trans. lv. 224. Returned as a Tory for Bristol in 1734 after a violent contest, he spoke against a motion for taking off the duties on Irish yarn,HMC Egmont Diary, ii. 162. 24 Mar. 1735; presented a petition against Spanish depredations on behalf of the society of merchant venturers of Bristol, 3 Mar. 1738; spoke in support of a bill for securing the trade to America, 15 May 1738; and voted against the Spanish convention 1739. He died 30 Sept. 1739 leaving to his only child, the wife of Robert Hoblyn, a fortune of £40,000.J. Latimer, Annals of Bristol in 18th cent. 224, 239.