Thomas Southwell, 3rd Viscount Southwell facts for kids

Thomas Anthony Southwell, 3rd Viscount Southwell, was an important Irish nobleman born on February 25, 1777. He became a Viscount, which is a noble title, in 1796 after his father, the 2nd Viscount Southwell, passed away. He was also given a special honor called a Knight of the Order of St Patrick on September 12, 1837. This was a very prestigious award in Ireland. He owned a large estate called Garway House in Herefordshire, England.

Family Life

Thomas Southwell married a woman named Jane Berkeley. Together, they had several children. They had two sons and five daughters. Some of their children included Sophia Catharina and Matilda Maria. Matilda Maria later married a well-known politician named Richard More O'Ferrall.

His Estates and Land

When Lord and Lady Southwell got married, they became joint owners of many properties. These included farms like Longmores, Lodge Farm, Church Farm, and Coleman's Farm. Later, they also owned New House Farm, Cwm Madoc Farm, Garway Court, Great Demesne Farm, and a mill called Darren Mill on the River Monnow.

All together, their land covered almost 3,000 acres. Owning this land meant they had special rights, like being able to profit from the river, which was great for salmon fishing back then. This made their land very valuable.

In 1808, Lord Southwell shared ownership of some rights with Robert Cannings. They could both be part of a local court called the Court Baron. This court allowed them to appoint a steward, who managed the estate, and make decisions on local legal matters. They could also appoint a local police officer, called a petty constable, for the area.

In 1810, Lord Southwell chose Thomas Wakerman to be his estate steward. Thomas Wakerman was also a lawyer and a local historian. Lord Southwell himself did not visit his English estate very often. He usually only came a few times a year to hunt pheasants. Most of his time was spent in Ireland, London, or the south of France.