Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet, of Frankley, in the County of Worcester (1686 – 14 September 1751), was an English landowner and Whig politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

from 1721 to 1741. He held office as one of the Lords of the Admiralty from 1727 to 1741.

Early life

Lyttelton was the only surviving son of Sir Charles Lyttelton, 3rd Baronet, of Frankley, in the County of Worcester, MP, and his wife Anne Temple, daughter of Thomas Temple of Frankton, Warwickshire. He married Christian Temple, daughter of

Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet, Order of the Bath, KB (28 March 1634 – 8 May 1697) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons of England, House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1697. Life Temple was the son of Si ...

, of Stowe, on 8 May 1708. On the death of his father in 1716, he inherited the baronetcy and Lyttelton family estates in Frankley,

Halesowen Halesowen ( ) is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. Historic counties of England, Historically an exclave of Shropshire and, from 1844, in Worcestershire, ...

Hagley Hagley is a village and civil parish in Worcestershire, England. It is on the boundary of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands and Worcestershire counties between the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and Kidderminster. Its estimated populati ...

, and Upper Arley.

Career

Lyttelton was elected as one of the Members of Parliament for

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

at a by-election on 6 March 1721. He was returned again at the

1727 British general election The 1727 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of the 7th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland in 1707. The election was trigg ...

and was appointed as one of the Lords of the Admiralty in 1727, holding the post until 1741. He decided not to stand again at Worcestershire at the

1734 British general election The 1734 British general election returned members to serve in the House of Commons of Great Britain, House of Commons of the 8th Parliament of Great Britain to be summoned, after the merger of the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scot ...

and was brought in instead for Camelford by his son-in-law Thomas Pitt. He did not stand at the 1741 British general election.

Legacy

Lyttelton died on 14 September 1751, leaving six sons and six daughters. He was succeeded by his eldest son George. His second son,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

, was Bishop of Carlisle and an antiquary. His fourth son was Lt-General Sir Richard Lyttelton, KB. His fifth son,

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

, succeeded as 7th baronet and was created Lord Westcote (an Irish title) in 1776 and then Baron Lyttelton in 1794. His daughter Christian married Thomas Pitt, MP. Lyttelton's brother-in-law Sir Richard Temple, 4th Baronet was created Viscount Cobham with the special remainder (in default of his own heirs male) to his sister Christian and her heirs male and in default of them to the heirs male of Christian. This latter remainder took effect in 1889 when her descendant, Charles, Lord Lyttelton, succeeded as Viscount Cobham.

References

*''Burkes Peerage and Baronetage'' (1939), s.v. Cobham, Viscount 1686 births 1751 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of England Lords of the Admiralty Thomas Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Worcestershire Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Camelford British MPs 1715–1722 British MPs 1722–1727 British MPs 1727–1734 British MPs 1734–1741 {{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub