Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Chichester
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| Home Secretary | |
| In office 30 July 1801 – 17 August 1803 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | Henry Addington |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Portland |
| Succeeded by | Charles Philip Yorke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 April 1756 London, England |
| Died | 4 July 1826 (aged 70) London, England |
| Political party | Whig, later Tory |
| Spouses | Lady Mary Osborne (1776–1862) |
| Alma mater | Clare Hall, Cambridge |
Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester (born April 28, 1756 – died July 4, 1826) was an important British politician. He was known by several titles during his life, including The Honourable Thomas Pelham and Lord Pelham. He was a member of the Whig political party, and later the Tory party. One of his most important jobs was serving as the Home Secretary from 1801 to 1803. This role meant he was in charge of many important things inside the country, like law and order.
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Early Life and Education
Thomas Pelham was the oldest son of Thomas Pelham, who was the 1st Earl of Chichester. His mother was Anne Frankland. He had a younger brother named George Pelham, who later became a bishop.
Thomas went to school at Westminster, which is a famous school in London. After that, he studied at Clare College at Cambridge University.
Start of His Political Journey
Thomas Pelham began his career in the military. In 1778, he became a captain in the Sussex Militia. This was a local army group. He was later promoted to major and then lieutenant-colonel. He often helped lead the militia.
In 1780, while his regiment was stationed near Dorking, he decided to run for election. He was elected to represent Sussex in the British Parliament.
Key Government Roles
Thomas Pelham held many important jobs in the government:
- In 1782, he became the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance. This meant he helped manage military supplies and equipment.
- In 1783, he became the Chief Secretary for Ireland. This was a very important government role in Ireland. He also joined the Privy Council of Ireland, a group of advisors to the King.
- He represented different areas in the Irish House of Commons, which was like the Irish Parliament. He served for Carrick (1783-1790) and Clogher (1795-1797).
- In 1795, he joined the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, another group of royal advisors. He continued as Chief Secretary for Ireland under Prime Minister William Pitt. He left this role in 1798.
Home Secretary and Later Roles
From July 1801 to August 1803, Thomas Pelham served as the Home Secretary. This was a very important job, as he was responsible for internal affairs, including policing and security within Britain.
After this, he became the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1803. This was another government position, managing certain royal lands and income. He left government in 1804.
In 1805, he inherited his father's title and became the 2nd Earl of Chichester.
From 1807 to 1823, he was a joint-Postmaster General. This meant he helped run the postal service. For the last three years of his life, he was the sole Postmaster General.
Family Life
Lord Chichester married Lady Mary Henrietta Juliana Osborne in 1801. She was the daughter of the 5th Duke of Leeds. They had a large family with four sons and six daughters.
- Their second son, Frederick Thomas Pelham, became a naval commander.
- Their third son, John Thomas Pelham, became a bishop. He was the Bishop of Norwich.
Lord Chichester passed away in July 1826 when he was 70 years old. His oldest son, Henry, took over his title as the 3rd Earl of Chichester.
His daughter, Lady Amelia Rose, married Major General Sir Joshua Jebb. He was known for designing Pentonville Prison.
His daughter, Lady Lucy Anne Pelham, married Sir David Dundas.
