Thomas Grey Egerton, 1st Earl of Wilton (14 August 1749 – 23 September 1814), known as Sir Thomas Grey Egerton, Bt from 1766 to 1784, was a British politician who sat in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
from 1772 to 1784 when he was raised to the
peerage
A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks.
Peerages include:
Australia
* Australian peers
Belgium
* Belgi ...
as
Baron Grey de Wilton
Baron Grey de Wilton is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England (1295) and once in the Peerage of Great Britain (1784). The first creation was forfeit and the second creation is extinct.
History First creation
The fi ...
.
Early life
Egerton was the son of Sir Thomas Grey Egerton, 6th Baronet, of the
Egerton family
The Egerton family (pronunciation: "''edge-er-ton''") is a British aristocratic family. Over time, several members of the Egerton family were made Dukes, Earls, knights, baronets and peers. Hereditary titles held by the Egerton family include t ...
, and his wife Catherine Copley, daughter of Rev. John Copley of Batley, Yorkshire. He was educated at
Westminster School
(God Gives the Increase)
, established = Earliest records date from the 14th century, refounded in 1560
, type = Public school Independent day and boarding school
, religion = Church of England
, head_label = Hea ...
in 1764. In 1766 he succeeded his father to the
baronetcy
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
. He married Eleanor Assheton, youngest daughter of
Sir Ralph Assheton, 3rd Baronet, of Middleton (d. 1765) on 12 September 1769.
Political career
Egerton was returned unopposed as
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
at a by-election on 4 February 1772. He was re-elected unopposed in
1774 and
1780. In 1778 he raised a regiment of foot at Manchester to serve in the American War. He spoke in Parliament on matters relating to Lancashire, and its trade or industry in particular. He did not stand at the
1784 general election.
[
On 15 May 1784, he was elevated to the barony of Grey de Wilton held by his ancestors, which was revived when he was raised to the peerage as Baron Grey de Wilton, of ]Wilton Castle
Wilton Castle is a 12th-century Norman castle located in south-eastern Herefordshire, England on the River Wye adjacent to the town of Ross-on-Wye. The castle is named after the manor associated with it.
This castle in Herefordshire, st ...
in the County Hereford. The peerage was created with remainder to heirs male of his body. On 26 June 1801, he was further honoured as Viscount Grey de Wilton and Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Hereford, with remainder to the second and younger sons successively of his daughter Eleanor, wife of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster
Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of Westminster, (22 March 1767 – 17 February 1845) was the son of the 1st Earl Grosvenor, whom he succeeded in 1802 as 2nd Earl Grosvenor. He was created Marquess of Westminster in 1831. He wa ...
.
Egerton was listed as a subscriber to the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal
The Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal is a disused canal in Greater Manchester, England, built to link Bolton and Bury with Manchester. The canal, when fully opened, was long. It was accessed via a junction with the River Irwell in Salford. ...
navigation in 1791.[ Greater Manchester County Records Office, ref. E4/78/419]
Later life and legacy
Egerton died on 23 September 1814, aged 65. He had no male issue so the title of Baron Grey de Wilton became extinct as he had no sons, while the Baronetcy passed to a distant relative Sir John Grey Egerton, 8th Baronet
Sir John Grey Egerton, 8th Baronet (11 July 1766 – 24 May 1825) was a politician from the Egerton family in Cheshire, England. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Chester from 1807 to 1818.
Born John Egerton, the son of Philip Egerton of Oult ...
. He was succeeded in the Viscountcy and Earldom, according to the special remainder, by his grandson Thomas Grosvenor Egerton.
He had one surviving daughter:
* Eleanor, who on 28 April 1794 married Robert Grosvenor, then Viscount Belgrave; in 1802, he became 2nd Earl Grosvenor, and in 1831, the 1st Marquess of Westminster.
See also
*Baron Grey de Wilton
Baron Grey de Wilton is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England (1295) and once in the Peerage of Great Britain (1784). The first creation was forfeit and the second creation is extinct.
History First creation
The fi ...
*Earl of Wilton
Earl of Wilton, of Wilton Castle in the County of Herefordshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1801 for Thomas Egerton, 1st Baron Grey de Wilton, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Grey de Wilton, ...
References
;Bibliography
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Egerton, Thomas 1st Earl Of Wilton
Wilton, Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of
Wilton, Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of
People educated at Westminster School, London
Wilton, Thomas Egerton, 1st Earl of
Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Lancashire
British MPs 1768–1774
British MPs 1774–1780
British MPs 1780–1784
Thomas
Thomas may refer to:
People
* List of people with given name Thomas
* Thomas (name)
* Thomas (surname)
* Saint Thomas (disambiguation)
* Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church
* Thomas the A ...
Hulme Trust