Henry Dunster (MP)

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Henry Dunster (1618–29 July 1684) was an English merchant and politician. Born to Giles Dunster of Seavington St. Michael, Somerset, he was baptised on 6 September 1618. He trained as a grocer in London from 1636 and became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers in 1644. He did not take part in the Civil War. By 1652 he owned land in Ilchester and joined its town corporation.

In 1660 he was elected Member of Parliament for Ilchester in the Convention Parliament, and from August 1660 to 1680 he served as a commissioner for assessment for London. He was re-elected MP for Ilchester in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament. He also served as commissioner for assessment for Somerset (1664–1669) and for Hertfordshire (1664–1680). He was warden of the Grocers’ Company (1668–1669) and master (1669–1670). He sold his Ilchester property in 1674 and was commissioner for recusants for Somerset in 1675. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament at Hertford in 1679.

Dunster died of an epidemic fever at age 66 and was buried at All Saints, Hertford. He married Mary Gardiner (daughter of Henry Gardiner of Jenningsbury) around May 1655, and they had six sons and two daughters. Mary died on 10 October 1718.