Name Thomas 1st Role Politician | Children Elizabeth Pelham | |
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Died February 23, 1712, East Hoathly with Halland, United Kingdom Grandchildren Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, Elizabeth Townshend, Thomas Townshend Great grandchildren Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis People also search for Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend | ||
Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton Bt (1653 – 23 February 1712) was a moderate English Whig politician and Member of Parliament for several constituencies. He is best remembered as father of two British prime ministers (Henry Pelham and the Duke of Newcastle) who, between them, served for 18 years as first minister. Pelham was born in Laughton, Sussex, the son of Sir John Pelham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lucy Sidney (daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester). Pelham was educated at Tonbridge School and Christ Church, Oxford. He sat for East Grinstead from October 1678 until August 1679. In October 1679 he was returned for Lewes, serving until 1702 (when he was returned for both Lewes and Sussex); he subsequently chose to sit for Sussex, a seat he held until 1705.
Personal life
On 26 November 1679 Pelham married Elizabeth Jones, with whom he had two daughters:
Pelham's wife Elizabeth died in October 1681. In 1686, he married Lady Grace Holles (daughter of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare), with whom he had two sons and five daughters:
Both of Pelham's sons went on to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury for three separate periods (March 1690–March 1692; May 1697–June 1699 and March 1701–May 1702); in 1706, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Pelham of Laughton (having previously succeeded to his father's baronetage in 1703).