Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham

Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham PC (14 July 1748 – 16 January 1818), was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1774 to 1781 when he succeeded to the peerage as Baron Walsingham. He served as Joint Postmaster General and was for many years Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords.[2]


The Lord Walsingham

Merton Hall - de Grey family seat in Norfolk
Joint Postmaster General
In office
1787–1794
Serving with
MonarchGeorge III
Prime MinisterWilliam Pitt the Younger
Preceded byThe Lord Carteret
The Earl of Clarendon
Succeeded byThe Earl of Chesterfield
The Earl of Leicester
Personal details
Born(1748-07-14)14 July 1748
Died16 January 1818(1818-01-16) (aged 69)
NationalityBritish
Spouse(s)Hon. Augusta Irby
Arms of Grey, Barons Walsingham: Barry of six argent and azure, in chief three annulets gules; crest: A wyvern's head or; supporters: Two wyverns regardant argent collard azure chained or and charged on the breast with three annulets gules; motto: Excitari Non Herescere ("to be spirited not inactive") [1]

Biography

Walsingham was the son of William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,[3] and educated at Eton College from 1760 to 1765 and was admitted at Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1766. He succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Walsingham on 9 May 1781 and inherited his Merton Hall, Norfolk estate from his uncle Thomas de Grey the same year.

He served as Groom of the Bedchamber to King George III from 1771 to 1777. His other public posts included Lord of Trade (1777–1781), Under-Secretary of State for the American department (February 1778 – September 1780), Vice-Treasurer of Ireland (1784–1787) and joint Postmaster General (1787–1794).

Political career

Walsingham sat as Member of Parliament for Wareham in 1774,[4] for Tamworth from 1774 to 1780,[5] and for Lostwithiel from 1780 to 1781,[6] when he succeeded his father and took his seat in the House of Lords. In 1783 Lord Walsingham was admitted to the Privy Council,[7] and from 1794 to 1814 was Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords.[3]

Family

Lord Walsingham married the Hon. Augusta Georgina Elizabeth Irby, daughter of William Irby, 1st Baron Boston. He died in January 1818, aged 69, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, George.[8]

References

  1. Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage. 2000.
  2. "DE GREY, Thomas (1748-1818), of Merton, Norf". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  3. Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990,
  4. leighrayment.com House of Commons: Wakefield to Waterford County West
  5. leighrayment.com House of Commons: Tain Burghs to Tipperary North
  6. leighrayment.com House of Commons: London University to Lymington
  7. "No. 12506". The London Gazette. 30 December 1783. p. 1.
  8. Lundy, Darryl. "thepeerage.com Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham". The Peerage.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Robert Palk
Whitshed Keene
Member of Parliament for Wareham
1774
With: Robert Palk
Succeeded by
William Gerard Hamilton
Christopher D'Oyly
Preceded by
Edward Thurlow
Charles Vernon
Member of Parliament for Tamworth
1774–1780
With: Edward Thurlow 1774–1778
Anthony Chamier 1778–1780
Succeeded by
Anthony Chamier
John Courtenay
Preceded by
Viscount Fairford
Thomas Potter
Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel
1780–1781
With: John St John 1780
George Johnstone 1780–1781
Succeeded by
George Johnstone
Viscount Malden
Political offices
Preceded by
The Lord Carteret
The Earl of Clarendon
Joint Postmaster General
1787–1794
With: The Lord Carteret 1787–1789
The Earl of Westmorland 1789–1790
The Earl of Chesterfield 1790–1794
Succeeded by
The Earl of Chesterfield
The Earl of Leicester
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
William de Grey
Baron Walsingham
1781–1818
Succeeded by
George de Grey
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