Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pelham,_1st_Baron_Pelham

Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton Bt (1653 – 23 February 1712) was a moderate English Whig politician and Member of Parliament for several constituencies. He is best remembered as the father of two British Prime Ministers Henry Pelham and the Duke of Newcastle who between them served for eighteen years as first minister.

Pelham was born in Laughton, Sussex, the son of Sir John Pelham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lucy Sidney, the daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester. Pelham was educated at Tonbridge Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford.

He sat for East Grinstead from October 1678 till August 1679. In October 1679, he was returned for Lewes, serving until 1702 when he was returned for both Lewes and Sussex, and he subsequently chose to sit for Sussex, a seat he held until 1705.

On 26 November 1679, Pelham married Elizabeth Jones, with whom he had two daughters.

Hon. Elizabeth Pelham (died 11 May 1711), married Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend

Lucy Pelham, died unmarried

Elizabeth died in October 1681. In 1686, he married Lady Grace Holles (daughter of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare), with whom he had two sons and five daughters:

Hon. Grace Pelham (died 1710), married George Naylor

Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1693–1768)

Hon. Henry Pelham (1696–1754)

Hon. Frances Pelham (died 27 June 1756), married Christopher Wandesford, 2nd Viscount Castlecomer

Hon. Gertrude Pelham, married Edmund Polhill

Hon. Lucy Pelham (died 20 July 1736), married Henry Clinton, 7th Earl of Lincoln

Hon. Margaret Pelham (died 23 November 1758), married Sir John Shelley, 4th Baronet

Both of his sons ultimately went on to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Pelham served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury for three distinct periods (March 1690–March 1692; May 1697–June 1699; and March 1701–May 1702) and in 1706 was elevated to the peerage as Baron Pelham of Laughton, having previously succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1703.

References

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages

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• 'A biographical peerage of the empire of Great Britain: in which ..., Volume 1 By Sir Egerton Brydges
• http://books.google.com/books?id=svJsAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA364&lpg=PA364&dq...
• Pg.365
• . . . . . He died 1624, and was fucceeded by his fon, fir Thomas, who reprefented Suffex, in the reigns of James I. and Charles I. and feems to have favoured the parliament fide, at leaft in the outfet of the troubles; but living retired during Cromwell's ufurpation, was buried with his anceftors, at Laughton, Aug. 28, 1654. (His younger fon, by his third wife, fir Nicholas, was anceftor of the Pelhams of Crowburft, in Suffex.) His eldeft fon, fir John Pelham, was elected member of parliament for Suffex, 1660, and continued to reprefent that county, during the remainder of the reign of Charles II. He died at the age of eighty, at his feat at Halland, in the parifh of Eaft-Hothley and Laughton, Jan. 26, 1703. His wife was a lady of high rank, Lucy, fecond daughter of Robert Sydney, fecond earl of Leicefter. His youger fon, Henry, clerk of the Pells, was grandfather of the late earl of Chichefter, 'But fir Thomas, the eldeft fon, fat in parliament for Lewe and and for Suffex, from the reign of Charles II. till 1706, in which time he was a commiffioner of the cuftoms, and, in 1689, a lord of the Treafury; and having married to his fecond wife, Lady Grace, fifter to John Holles, duke of Newcaftle, was, on Dec. 29, 1706, created lord Pelham. He died Feb. 23, 1712, leaving, by his fecond wife, two fons', Thomas, created duke of Newcaftle; and Henry, a celebrated ftatefman, born 1696, "who being," . . . . . . He died of a violent fever, which in five days put a period to his life, March 6, 1754, aged 60. . . . .
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• 'Sussex Archaeological Collections Relating to the History ..., Volumes 122-123 By Sussex Archaeolog Society Pg.70
• http://books.google.com/books?id=oZzh03OJj_MC&pg=PA176&lpg=PA176&dq...
• "'previous to the marriage of Thomas Pelham, (Son and Heir apparent of the said Sir John Pelham), and Elizabeth Jones, only daughter of Sir William Jones of Gray's Inn, Elizabeth afterwards died leaving as the only issue of the said marriage one daughter' Elizabeth"
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• 'Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton1
• 'M, #28048, b. circa 1653, d. 23 February 1711/12
• Last Edited=13 Feb 2011
• ' Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton was born circa 1653.4 He was the son of Sir John Pelham, 3rd Bt. and Lady Lucy Sydney.3 He married, firstly, Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Sir William Jones, on 26 November 1679.4 He married, secondly, Lady Grace Holles, daughter of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare and Grace Pierrepont, on 21 May 1686.1 He died on 23 February 1711/12.4
• ' Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Whig) for East Grinstead from 1678 to 1679.4 He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Whig) for Sussex between 1679 and 1702.4 He was Commissioner of Customs between 1689 and 1691.4 He held the office of Lord of the Treasury from March 1689/90 to March 1690/91.4 He held the office of Lord of the Treasury from 1698 to 1699.4 He held the office of Lord of the Treasury from 1701 to 1702.4 He succeeded to the title of 4th Baronet Pelham, of Laughton, co. Sussex [E., 1611] circa January 1702/3.4 He was created 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton, co. Sussex [England] on 16 December 1706.4
• 'Child of Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton and Elizabeth Jones
  • 1.Hon. Elizabeth Pelham+3 d. 11 May 1711
• 'Children of Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton and Lady Grace Holles
  • 1.Hon. Lucy Pelham+3 d. 20 Jul 1736
  • 2.Hon. Frances Pelham+5 d. 27 Jun 1756
  • 3.Hon. Margaret Pelham3 d. 23 Nov 1758
  • 4.Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme1 b. 1 Jul 1693, d. 17 Nov 1768
  • 5.Rt. Hon. Henry Pelham+3 b. 1696, d. 6 Mar 1754
• Citations
• 1.[S6] G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 251. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
• 2.[S3409] Caroline Maubois, "re: Penancoet Family," e-mail message to Darryl Roger Lundy, 2 December 2008. Hereinafter cited as "re: Penancoet Family."
• 3.[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003). Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
• 4.[S37] Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition, volume 1, page 771.
• 5.[S6] Cokayne, and others, The Complete Peerage, volume III, page 82.
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p2805.htm#i28048
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