Lewis Richard Watson, 3rd Baron Sondes (24 May 1792 – 14 March 1836), styled Hon. Lewis Watson until 1806, was an English peer. His legal struggle with his former tutor over the occupation of the rectory of

Kettering Kettering is a market and industrial town in North Northamptonshire, England. It is located north of London and north-east of Northampton, west of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene. The name means "the place (or territory) of Ket ...

led to the case of ''Fletcher'' v. ''Lord Sondes'', in which the House of Lords declared that bonds of special resignation were

simoniacal Simony () is the act of selling church offices and roles or sacred things. It is named after Simon Magus, who is described in the Acts of the Apostles as having offered two disciples of Jesus payment in exchange for their empowering him to imp ...

. After extensive litigation, he succeeded in instituting his younger brother in the rectory. The eldest son of

Lewis Watson, 2nd Baron Sondes Lewis Thomas Watson, 2nd Baron Sondes (18 April 1754 – 21 June 1806), was a British Whig politician and peer. Early life Lewis Thomas Watson was the son of Lewis Watson, 1st Baron Sondes, and Grace Pelham, a daughter of Henry Pelham. He was ed ...

, and his wife Mary, he succeeded his father in the peerage in 1806. On 1 February 1810, he matriculated at

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...

. In 1814, Sondes presented his tutor, William Brice Fletcher, to the rectory of

, of which he held the

advowson Advowson () or patronage is the right in English law of a patron (avowee) to present to the diocesan bishop (or in some cases the ordinary if not the same person) a nominee for appointment to a vacant ecclesiastical benefice or church living, ...

. Fletcher entered into a bond with Sondes that he should resign the rectory when either of Sondes' younger brothers became capable of accepting a benefice. Sondes requested Fletcher's resignation in 1820 for the purpose of presenting his younger brother Henry; Fletcher, who had expected Sondes to find another benefice for him, refused, and Sondes successfully sued him for non-compliance. Fletcher appealed the verdict up to the House of Lords; in 1827, on judicial advice, they reversed the verdict and declared the bond to be

. Bonds of general resignation, where the appointee to a benefice bonded himself to resign whenever called upon by a patron to do so, had been held to be simoniacal in the case of ''Bishop of London'' v. ''Ffytche''. However, bonds of special resignation, like that signed by Fletcher, were thought to have been legal and were frequently used until ''Fletcher'' v. ''Lord Sondes'' was decided. Parliament subsequently passed legislation indemnifying existing bondholders and legalizing bonds of special resignation under certain regulated terms. As the presentation of Fletcher had been adjudged simoniacal, it was held to be void and the right to make the next presentation fell to the Crown; the King presented Henry Watson to the rectory. On 20 December 1830, Sondes was commissioned first major in the East Kent Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry. He was present to give homage in person at the coronation of William IV in 1831. He died unmarried in 1836 and was succeeded by his brother

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

. An obituarist recalled his dislike of sentiment and cant, and his aversion to women, employing manservants instead of housemaids at Rockingham Castle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sondes, Lewis Watson, 3rd Baron 1792 births 1836 deaths Royal East Kent Yeomanry officers Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Lewis 3