Thomas Whitgrave

Thomas Whitgrave (or Whitgreave) (fl. 1650s) was the Member of Parliament for Staffordshire for the First, Second and Third Protectorate parliaments who was knighted by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell in 1658. He was also considered as a potential recipient Knight of the Royal Oak, a reward to those Englishmen who faithfully and actively supported Charles II during his exile in France. (The knighthoods conferred by the Lord Protector were not recognised after the Restoration.)

Aiding escape of King Charles II
After the defeat at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651, Charles II was conducted by Colonel Gifford to White Ladies Priory on Gifford's Boscobel estate. At White Ladies, the King was sheltered by the five Penderell brothers who lived there. John Penderell happened to meet Father Huddleston, who suggested that the King should go to Moseley Old Hall on the night of 7 September. He was welcomed by Thomas Whitgrave (Whitgreave), the owner of the house, Alice Whitgrave, Thomas's mother, and John Huddleston, the Catholic priest of the house. They gave Charles dry clothes, food, and a proper bed (his first since Worcester on 3 September). To guard against surprise, Huddleston was constantly in attendance on the king; his three pupils were stationed as sentinels at upper windows and Thomas Whitgrave patrolled the garden. On 9 September, Parliamentary troops questioned Whitgrave while the King and Huddleston were hiding in the priest hole. The troops were persuaded that Whitgrave had not fought at Worcester (though he had fought and been captured at the Battle of Naseby in 1645). The troops left without searching the house.