Sir Thomas Lynch (died 1684) was the English

governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its independence from the United Kingdom in 1962. For a list of viceroys after independence, see Governor-General of Jamaica. For context, see History of Jamai ...

on three separate occasions in the 17th century (1663–1664, August 1671–November 1674, and lastly 1682–1684). He was also chief justice of Jamaica for a time.

Life

He was the son of Theophilus Lynch Esq of Rixton Hall in Lancashire (born 1603), fourth son of William Lynch Esq of Cranbrook in

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

, and of his wife Judith, eldest daughter of Royal chaplain and Bishop of London John Aylmer. He served under

Robert Venables Robert Venables (ca. 1613–1687), was an English soldier from Cheshire, who fought for Parliament in the 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and captured Jamaica in 1655. When the Anglo-Spanish War began in 1654, he was made joint comm ...

in the army which went out to

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

in 1655. In January 1661, after a period back in England he was appointed

provost-marshal Provost marshal is a title given to a person in charge of a group of Military Police (MP). The title originated with an older term for MPs, '' provosts'', from the Old French ''prévost'' (Modern French ''prévôt''). While a provost marshal i ...

of the island for life. In December 1662 Lynch was lieutenant-colonel of the 5th regiment of militia; in April 1663 was sworn in as a member of council, and in April 1664 elected president of the council in the absence of

Sir Charles Lyttelton Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet, of Frankley, in the County of Worcester, MP (1628 – 2 May 1716) was one of the early English Governors of Jamaica, an army officer, and Member of Parliament from the Lyttelton family. Governor of Jamaica Char ...

. In June 1664

Sir Thomas Modyford Colonel Sir Thomas Modyford, 1st Baronet (c. 1620 – 1 September 1679) was a planter of Barbados and Governor of Jamaica from 1664 to 1671. Early life Modyford was the son of a mayor of Exeter with family connections to the Duke of Albemarle ...

became governor, and Lynch was again sworn of the council. Shortly Modyford wrote to his brother, Sir James Modyford, then in England, asking him to get the

Duke of Albemarle The Dukedom of Albemarle () has been created twice in the Peerage of England, each time ending in extinction. Additionally, the title was created a third time by James II in exile and a fourth time by his son the Old Pretender, in the Jacobite ...

to appoint a sheriff, instead of a provost-marshal; but on 12 February 1665 Lynch wrote to Lord Arlington complaining that the governor had discharged him from the council and the office of chief justice without giving any public reason. Lynch was then obliged to return to England. At the end of 1670 he was ordered to go out again to Jamaica, as lieutenant-governor, with authority to command in the absence of Modyford. The commission was repeated in January 1671, when Modyford was recalled, and at the same time he received a commission from

James, Duke of York James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

to be commander-in-chief of his majesty's ships in and about Jamaica. He was knighted at

Whitehall Palace The Palace of Whitehall (also spelt White Hall) at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, except notably Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, were destroyed by fire. Hen ...

on 3 December 1670. Lynch was criticized by his superiors in England for his conduct during the trial of pirate Peter Johnson; when the pirate was acquitted, Lynch ordered him re-tried and personally directed the trial, convicting and executing Johnson. Jamaica's buccaneers had been encouraged by Modyford. Under Lynch they acted under the governor's commission, including

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan ( cy, Harri Morgan; – 25 August 1688) was a privateer, plantation owner, and, later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he raided settlements and shipping on the Spanish Main, becoming wea ...

; and the king claimed his share of the Spanish plunder. Diplomatic complaints from the Spanish government, however, compelled the English government to give way. Lynch was recalled, apparently in 1676, and Lord Vaughan was sent out with orders to suppress the pirates and put an end to piracy. In 1682 Lynch was again sent out to Jamaica as governor and captain-general, with similar instructions regarding piracy, and these he carried out severely. Among his targets was French pirate

Jean Hamlin Jean Hamlin (alternatively spelled Jean Hamlyn, fl. 1682–1684) was a French pirate active in the Caribbean and off the coast of Africa. He was often associated with St. Thomas's pirate-friendly Governor Adolph Esmit. History Hamlin began hi ...

, who was repeatedly protected by St. Thomas' Governor

Adolph Esmit Adolph Esmit was a Danish colonial administrator and slave trader who served as governor of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies from 1683 to 1684, and again from 1687 to 1688. He was born in Holstein. His older ...

. Under Lynch and Morgan, the colonial authorities tried in vain to defeat the

Jamaican Maroons Jamaican Maroons descend from Africans who freed themselves from slavery on the Colony of Jamaica and established communities of free black people in the island's mountainous interior, primarily in the eastern parishes. Africans who were ensla ...

Juan de Serras Juan de Serras was one of the first Jamaican Maroon chiefs in the seventeenth century. His community was based primarily around Los Vermajales, and as a result the English called his group of Maroons the Karmahaly Maroons. It is likely that his Maro ...

, but the Maroons just withdrew further into the Blue Mountains, out of the reach of the colonial militias.Mavis Campbell, ''The Maroons of Jamaica 1655-1796: a History of Resistance, Collaboration & Betrayal'' (Massachusetts: Bergin & Garvey, 1988), pp. 32-3. Lynch died, apparently in 1684, some time before the death of Charles II was known in the colony. Already ill, Lynch was incensed at captured pirate

Joseph Bannister Joseph Bannister (died 1687, first name occasionally George) was an English pirate who operated in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. He is best known for defeating two Royal Navy warships in battle. History Bannister was captain of ...

having evaded conviction on legal technicalities and passed away immediately after the infuriating and unsuccessful trial. He was buried in the cathedral of Jamaica, beneath a black marble slab.

Family

Lynch married firstly, Vere, daughter of Sir George Herbert, by whom he had a daughter Philadelphia, wife of Sir Thomas Cotton of the Cotton baronets of Combermere. He married secondly, Mary, daughter of Thomas Temple of Frankton in Warwickshire, but does not seem to have left any children. His widow afterwards married his successor, Colonel

Hender Molesworth Sir Hender Molesworth, 1st Baronet (''ca.'' 1638 – 27 July 1689), was made 1st Baronet of Pencarrow after serving as acting Governor of Jamaica This is a list of viceroys in Jamaica from its initial occupation by Spain in 1509, to its indepe ...

Notes

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Lynch, Thomas 1603 births 1684 deaths Chief justices of Jamaica 17th-century Jamaican judges Knights Bachelor Colony of Jamaica judges People involved in anti-piracy efforts People from the Kingdom of England in Jamaica