Monarch George III Name Thomas 2nd Preceded by The Earl of Carlisle Role British Politician | Monarch George III Siblings Theresa Robinson | |
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Prime Minister Lord North
The Marquess of Rockingham Succeeded by The Lord Sydney (President of the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations) Died July 20, 1786, Surrey, United Kingdom Spouse Mary Robinson, Baroness Grantham (m. 1780–1786) Parents Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham Children Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey, F. J. Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich Similar People Thomas Robinson - 1st Baron, F J Robinson - 1st Visco, George Robinson - 1st Marqu | ||
Prime Minister The Earl of Shelburne | ||
Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham PC (30 November 1738 – 20 July 1786) was a British politician and statesman. He notably served as Foreign Secretary between 1782 and 1783.
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Background and education
Grantham was born in Vienna, Austria, the son of Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham, British Ambassador to Austria at the time, by his wife Frances, daughter of Thomas Worsley. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ's College, Cambridge,
Political career
Grantham entered parliament as member for Christchurch in 1761, and succeeded to the peerage, because of his father's death, in 1770. That year he was appointed to the Privy Council. In 1771 he was sent as British Ambassador to Spain and retained this post until war broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1779. In 1772, while at the Summer Spanish Court in Aranjuez, he received correspondence from Richard Wall, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs. From 1780 to 1782 Grantham was President of the Board of Trade, and from July 1782 to April 1783 Foreign Secretary under Lord Shelburne.
Family
Lord Grantham married Lady Mary Jemima, daughter of Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke and Jemima Yorke, 2nd Marchioness Grey, in 1780. They had three sons, Thomas, later 2nd Earl de Grey, and Frederick John, later Viscount Goderich and Earl of Ripon, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1827 and 1828. He died on 20 July 1786, aged only 46, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas. Lady Grantham died in January 1830, aged 72 years old.