Thomas Legh (died 1857) facts for kids

A portrait of Thomas Legh, painted by William Bradley.

Thomas Legh (born around 1793, died May 8, 1857) was an important English politician. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), which means he was recognized for his contributions to science.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Legh was born in England around 1793. He was the oldest son of Thomas Peter Legh. He went to Brasenose College, Oxford, a famous university, to get his education.

Travels and Adventures

After finishing his studies at Oxford, Thomas Legh loved to travel. He visited Egypt in 1812 and 1813. He wrote a book about his journey, which was published in 1816.

Political Career

Thomas Legh became a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Newton in Lancashire. He started this role on April 16, 1814. He served as an MP until 1832. In that year, the way Parliament worked changed, and the Newton area no longer had its own MP.

Family Life

Thomas Legh was married two times. His first marriage was on January 14, 1828, to Ellen Turner. They had a son and a daughter together. Sadly, Ellen passed away in 1831.

He married again on October 3, 1843, to Maud Lowther. They did not have any children together.

Business Interests

In 1830, Thomas Legh was one of the first people to invest in the Wigan Branch Railway. This was a new railway line that helped transport goods and people.

Later Life and Legacy

Thomas Legh chose his nephew, William John Legh, to be his successor. William later became known as Baron Newton. Thomas Legh died on May 8, 1857.