Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro

Born in London, Truro was the second son of Thomas Wilde, an attorney and founder of Wilde Sapte, by his wife Mary Anne (née Knight). He was educated at St Paul's School and was admitted an attorney in 1805.[1] He was the younger brother of Sir John Wylde. James Wilde, 1st Baron Penzance, was his nephew.

Wilde subsequently entered the Inner Temple and was called to the bar in 1817, having practised for two years before as a special pleader. Retained for the defence of Queen Caroline in 1820 he distinguished himself by his cross-examination and laid the foundation of an extensive common law practice.[1] In 1824 he was made Serjeant-at-Law, and in 1827 King's Serjeant.

He first entered parliament in the Whig interest as member for Newark (1831–1832 and 1835–1841), afterwards representing Worcester (1841–1846). He was appointed Solicitor General in 1839, being knighted in 1840,[2] and became Attorney General in succession to Sir John Campbell in 1841. In 1846 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas, an office he held until 1850, when he became Lord Chancellor, and was created Baron Truro, of Bowes in the County of Middlesex.[3] He held this latter office until the fall of the Russell ministry in 1852.[1]

Thomas Wilde's tomb in St Laurence's parish churchyard, Ramsgate, Kent

Lord Truro married firstly Mary, widow of William Devaynes (1730–1809) and daughter of William Wileman, in 1813. They had three surviving children. After Mary's death in 1840 he married secondly Mademoiselle d'Este, Augusta Emma d'Este, daughter of Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex and a first cousin of Queen Victoria, on 13 August 1845. There were no children from this marriage. Lord Truro died in London in November 1855, aged 76, and was succeeded in the barony by his second but eldest surviving son, Charles. Lady Truro died in May 1866, aged 64.

Thomas Wilde is commemorated by a Blue plaque erected on the front of 2 Kelvin Avenue Bowes Park London N13 which reads: "Site of Bowes Manor THOMAS WILDE 1st BARON TRURO 1782 – 1855 LORD CHANCELLOR 1850 – 1852 LIVED HERE"

Wilde also lived at Truro House, Broomfield Park, Palmers Green London N13, a Grade II listed building which dates back to 1673.

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Truro, Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron". Encyclopædia Britannica. 27 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 328.
• Lee, Sidney, ed. (1900). "Wilde, Thomas" . Dictionary of National Biography. 61. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
• Rigg, J. M.; Watkin, T. G. "Wilde, Thomas, first Baron Truro (1782–1855)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29401. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Wilde