George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot Bt

Date and place of baptism mentioned on his father's memorial: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73357049&ref=wvr

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PdQwBwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcove... 'The Strange Case of Lord Pigot' by Sudip Bhattacharya.

Governor of Madras (1755 - 1763); 1st Baronet of Patshull in 1764; then in 1766 created Baron Pigot of Patshull (the first, and last, as the Barony became extinct on his death). Brother Robert became the next Baronet.

Never married but had several illegitimate children:

Amelia Wood, George Wood, Elizabeth Surry, Harriet Sneed, Sophia Pigot (c.1760/1763-1834) married the Hon Edward Monckton on Mar 14 1776; Leonora Pigot (c.1764-1800) married Claud Russell on Oct 17 1777; Mary Green (c. 1772 - 1852) married (aged 12) in 1784, John Blashfield;

and 3 sons born to Catherine Hill: George Pigot born at Chievely, Berkshire, (c. 1770 - 1830); Major 9th Dragoon Guards, emigrated to South Africa 1820 and settled at Pigot Park, Blaaukrantz, near Grahmstown; General Richard Pigot (1774-1868); Colonel 4th Dragoon Guards; Admiral Sir Hugh Pigot K.C.B. (1776-1857); Admiral of the White

The Pigot Baronetcy, of Patshull Hall in the County of Stafford, was created on 5 December 1764 for the politician and colonial administrator George Pigot, with remainder to his brothers General Robert Pigot and Admiral Hugh Pigot. On 19 January 1766 Pigot was further honoured when he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Pigot, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body. Lord Pigot was unmarried (although he left several natural children) and on his death in 1777 the barony became extinct. He was succeeded in the baronetcy according to the special remainder by his brother, Robert, the second Baronet. He was a distinguished soldier.

Pigot entered the service of the East India Company in 1736, at the age of 17; after nineteen years he became governor and commander-in-chief of Madras in 1755. Having defended the city against the French in 1758-1759 and occupied Pondicherry on behalf of the company, he resigned his office in November 1763 and returned to the Kingdom of Great Britain, being made a baronet in 1764. In the following year he obtained the seat of Wallingford in the Parliament of Great Britain, and this he retained until 1768; in 1766 he was created an Irish peer as Baron Pigot. From 1768 until his death he sat in the British House of Commons for Bridgnorth.

After Peplow Hall, Shropshire, his seat was Patshull Hall, Staffordshire. Returning to India in 1775 to occupy his former position at Madras, Pigot was at once involved in a fierce quarrel with the majority of his council which arose out of the proposed restoration of Thuljaji, the rajah of Tanjore. The governor was arrested by order of his opponents and was still a prisoner when he died.

Meanwhile, the conduct of Pigot was censured by the court of directors in Great Britain, and the order for his restoration was followed immediately by another for his recall. This happened about a month after his death, but before the news had reached Great Britain. In 1779 the matter was discussed in Parliament, and four of those who were responsible for his arrest were tried and were fined 1000 Pounds each. Pigot, who left several illegitimate children, was never married, and his barony became extinct.

Upon his death the Irish barony became extinct, while the baronetcy devolved upon his brother Robert Pigot. He left several natural children, among others

   Sophia Pigot, who married, on 14 March 1776, the Hon. Edward Monckton of Somerford, Staffordshire, and died on 1 January 1834;

   Richard Pigot (1774–1868), general in the army and colonel of the 4th dragoon guards;

   Sir Hugh Pigot, K.C.B. (1775–1857), admiral of the White;

   Leonora, who received a fortune under her father's will and married 17 Oct. 1777 Claud Russell, member of the Madras Council; to the memory of her and her husband there is a tablet in Marylebone Church.

   Major George Pigot (1772?-1830) Along with Richard and Hugh, son of Catherine Hill. Member of settler community who immigrated from England (1820) to present Eastern-Cape coast of South Africa.

   Mary Green (c.1772-1852) who married, aged twelve in 1784, John Blashfield of Presteigne, Radnorshire.

Pigot was created an LL.D. of the university of Cambridge on 3 July 1769. He is said to have paid £100,000 for the purchase of the Patshull estate in Staffordshire.

Pigot owned the celebrated Pigot diamond, which he bequeathed to his brothers, Robert and Hugh (1721?–1792), and his sister Margaret, the wife of Thomas Fisher. Under a private Act of Parliament passed in July 1800 (39 & 40 Geo. III, cap. cii.), the stone, a model of which is in the British Museum, was disposed of by way of lottery in two-guinea shares for £23,998, 16s. It was sold as weighing 188 grains at Christie's on 10 May 1802 for 9,500 guineas, and in 1818 it passed into the hands of Messrs. Rundell & Bridge, the jewellers. They shortly afterwards sold it for £30,000 to Ali Pasha. It is stated that, when mortally wounded by Reshid Pasha (5 February 1822), he ordered that it should be crushed to powder in his presence, which was done.

Other References

• Wikipedia contributors. "George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
• "PIGOT, Sir George, 1st Bt. (1719-1777), of Patshull, Staffs.", The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964