Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell PC (Ire) (1665 – 4 August 1720), known as Sir Thomas Southwell, 2nd Baronet from 1681 to 1717, was an Irish peer and politician.

Background

He was the oldest son of Richard Southwell, son of

Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet, of Castle Mattress (died 7 December 1680) was a high sheriff of County Kerry under the Protectorate. Birth and origins Thomas was probably born at Castle Matrix, near Rathkeale, the fifth but only sur ...

, and his wife Lady Elizabeth O'Brien, daughter of

Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin Murrough MacDermod O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin (September 1614 – 9 September 1673), was an Irish nobleman and soldier, who came from one of the most powerful families in Munster. Known as "''Murchadh na dTóiteán''" ("Murrough the Burner" ...

. His younger brothers were

William Southwell William Southwell (1669 – 23 January 1720) was an Irish politician and British Army officer. Background He was the third son of Richard Southwell of Castle Matrix, Co. Limerick, and his wife Lady Elizabeth O'Brien, daughter of Murrough O'Bri ...

and Richard Southwell. In 1681, his father having predeceased him, Southwell succeeded his grandfather as baronet. During the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

of 1689, after he led an unsuccessful rising in

County Galway "Righteousness and Justice" , anthem = () , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Galway.svg , map_caption = Location in Ireland , area_footnotes = , area_total_km2 = ...

, he and his brother were attainted by the parliament of

King James II of England 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 ...

. Southwell was also imprisoned, but was released and pardoned the following year.

Career

In 1695, Southwell entered the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive fra ...

for

County Limerick "Remember Limerick" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Limerick.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Munster , subdivision ...

, representing it until 1713. He was returned for the constituency again from 1715 until August 1717, when he was elevated to the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

as Baron Southwell, of Castle Mattress, in the County of Limerick. In 1697, Southwell became a

Commissioner of the Revenue The Commissioner of the Revenue is one of five locally elected constitutional officers whose authority is specifically conveyed in the Virginia Constitution. The other four are the treasurer, sheriff, Commonwealth's attorney, and clerk. In gen ...

, however resigned in 1712. He was reappointed two years later and held this post until his death in 1720. In May 1710, Southwell was sworn of the

Privy Council of Ireland His or Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, commonly called the Privy Council of Ireland, Irish Privy Council, or in earlier centuries the Irish Council, was the institution within the Dublin Castle administration which exercised formal executi ...

Family

In April 1696, he married Lady Meliora Coningsby, eldest daughter of

Thomas Coningsby, 1st Earl Coningsby Thomas Coningsby, 1st Earl Coningsby PC (2 November 1656 – 1 May 1729) of Hampton Court Castle, Herefordshire, was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times from 1679 until 1716 when he was created a peer and sat ...

and his first wife Barbara Gorges. They had six sons and five daughters. Southwell died at

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

and was buried at

Rathkeale Rathkeale () is a town in west County Limerick, in Ireland. It is 30 km (18 mi) southwest of Limerick city on the N21 road to Tralee, County Kerry, and lies on the River Deel. Rathkeale has a significant Irish Traveller population, and ...

. Pages 303–304. He was succeeded in his titles by his oldest son

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 Ap ...

. His second son

Henry Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

also sat in the

Parliament of Ireland The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Southwell, Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron 1665 births 1720 deaths Barons in the Peerage of Ireland Peers of Ireland created by George I Irish MPs 1695–1699 Irish MPs 1703–1713 Irish MPs 1715–1727 Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Limerick constituencies Members of the Privy Council of Ireland Politicians from County Limerick