Sir Thomas Mackworth, 4th Baronet facts for kids

Sir Thomas Mackworth, 4th Baronet (died 1745) was an important landowner and politician. He lived at Normanton Hall in Rutland, England. Sir Thomas was a member of the English Parliament and later the British Parliament for many years. He also invested in mining businesses.

Normanton Hall, Rutland - the Mackworth family home

Early Life and Family

Sir Thomas Mackworth was the only son of Sir Thomas Mackworth, 3rd Baronet. His mother was Anne Mackworth. When his father passed away in November 1694, young Thomas inherited his family's land and the special title of "Baronet." A baronet is a bit like a knight, but the title can be passed down through the family. He also took over his father's seat in Parliament.

Political Career

Sir Thomas became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Rutland in December 1694. This happened without anyone else running against him. He later served as the High Sheriff of Rutland from 1696 to 1697.

He was elected as an MP for Rutland again several times: in 1701, 1702, and 1705. He took a break from Parliament for a few years.

In 1713, he was elected as an MP for Portsmouth. After another break, he returned to Parliament for Rutland in 1721. He was a member of the Tory political group.

Mining Ventures

Sir Thomas was very interested in mining. He worked with his cousin, Sir Humphrey Mackworth, on mining projects in South Wales. They invested in companies that dug for valuable metals like lead.

He became a director of a company called the Company of Mine Adventurers in 1698. This company was set up to find and sell metals. In 1704, the company received a special permission from the King, called a Royal Charter.

However, by 1710, the company faced money problems. The government started an investigation into why it was failing. Sir Thomas said he wasn't an expert in money matters and wasn't involved in the bad decisions. Because of this, he was not allowed to be a director of the company for a while.

He later invested in the Company of Mine Adventurers again and became a director once more in 1721.

Later Life and Challenges

Even though he was successful in some elections, the cost of running for office was very high. Sir Thomas faced serious financial difficulties. His family home, Normanton Hall, and other properties had to be sold to pay his debts. This was ordered by a court. After this, he did not run for Parliament again in 1727.

Personal Life

Sir Thomas Mackworth never married. He passed away in February 1745 in North London. Most of his property was left to his sisters. The baronetcy title then went to a cousin, Thomas Mackworth. He also left some property for a son he was believed to have.