Thomas Christmas facts for kids
Thomas Christmas was an important Irish politician who lived a long time ago. He was born in Waterford, Ireland, and came from a family that was very involved in politics in that area.
Contents
Thomas Christmas: An Irish Politician
Early Life and Education
Thomas Christmas was born in the city of Waterford. His father, Richard Christmas, was a "High Sheriff of Waterford" in 1686. A High Sheriff was a local official who helped keep law and order in a county. Thomas's mother was Susanna Aland.
Thomas went to college at Trinity College, Dublin, which is a famous university in Ireland.
Serving His Community
Thomas Christmas followed in his family's footsteps and became a politician. He was chosen to be a "Member of Parliament" (MP) for Waterford City. An MP is someone who represents the people of an area in the country's law-making body, called Parliament. He served as an MP for a long time, from 1713 to 1747.
Just like his father and grandfather, Thomas Christmas also became the High Sheriff of Waterford in 1715. His family, the Christmas family, was very powerful in Waterford politics for many years, from the late 1600s all the way up to the 1860s.
His Family and Legacy
Thomas Christmas married Elizabeth Marshall. Her brother, Robert Marshall, was a judge in a court called the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland). Robert Marshall was also known for being a close friend and helper to Esther Vanhomrigh, who was a friend of the famous writer Jonathan Swift.
Thomas and Elizabeth had four children. Two of their sons, Thomas junior and William, also became Members of Parliament, just like their father. Their daughter Elizabeth married Sir William Osborne, 8th Baronet. Another daughter, Ada, married her cousin Thomas Christmas, and they also had a son named William Christmas who became an MP.
Thomas junior, one of Thomas Christmas's sons, married Lady Catherine Beresford. She was the daughter of a very important person, Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone. After Thomas junior passed away, Catherine married again to Theophilus Jones and had three more sons.
