Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet facts for kids

Thomas Tufton was an important English nobleman and politician. He was known as the 6th Earl of Thanet and the 18th Baron de Clifford. He lived a long life, from 1644 to 1729, during a time of big changes in England.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Tufton was born on August 30, 1644. He was the fourth son of John Tufton, who was the 2nd Earl of Thanet. His mother was Margaret Sackville, who was also a Baroness.

Thomas became the Earl of Thanet in 1684. This happened after his older brother, Richard Tufton, the 5th Earl, passed away. He also inherited another important title, the Barony de Clifford. This title came from his grandmother's side of the family. With this title, he also gained control of large areas of land in Cumberland and Westmorland.

Roles and Responsibilities

Thomas Tufton held several important jobs and titles during his life. These roles showed his influence and power in English society.

High Sheriff of Westmorland

From 1684 until his death in 1729, Thomas served as the hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland. A High Sheriff was a very old and important position. They were responsible for keeping law and order in their county. They also helped with elections and collected taxes.

Member of Parliament

Thomas Tufton was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Appleby. He held this position from 1668 to 1679. An MP is someone elected to represent a certain area in the country's government. They help make laws and discuss important issues.

Military Service

Thomas also had a military career. He became a captain in the Troop of Horse. Later, in 1685, he became a colonel in the Regiment of Horse. These were important ranks in the army at that time.

Lord-Lieutenant

He served as Lord-Lieutenant for two counties: Westmorland and Cumberland. He held these roles from 1685 to 1687. He took on the role for Cumberland again from 1712 to 1714. A Lord-Lieutenant was the King's or Queen's personal representative in a county. They were in charge of the local military and helped keep peace.

Privy Counsellor

In 1703, Thomas Tufton became a Privy Counsellor. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the King or Queen. He served in this role from 1703 to 1707 and again from 1711 to 1714. Being a Privy Counsellor was a very high honor.

Marriage and Children

On August 14, 1684, Thomas Tufton married Lady Catharine Cavendish. She was the daughter of Henry Cavendish, who was the 2nd Duke of Newcastle. Lady Catharine passed away in 1712.

Together, Thomas and Catharine had eight children. Five of their children lived to adulthood:

• Lady Catherine Tufton (1692–1734): She married Edward Watson, Viscount Sondes, and had children.
• Lady Anne Tufton (died 1757): She married James Cecil, the 5th Earl of Salisbury, and had children.
• Lady Margaret Tufton (1700–1775): She married Thomas Coke, the 1st Earl of Leicester, and had children.
• Lady Mary Tufton (died 1785): She married twice. Her first husband was Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold. Her second husband was John Leveson-Gower, the 1st Earl Gower. She had children from both marriages.
• Lady Isabella Tufton (died 1764): She also married twice. Her first husband was Lord Nassau Powlett. Her second husband was Sir Francis Blake Delaval. She had children.

Sadly, three of their sons, all named John or Thomas, passed away shortly after birth.

Political Views and Legacy

Thomas Tufton was known as a "country gentleman" and was part of the Tory political party. The Tories were one of the main political groups in England at the time. They generally supported the King and the Church of England.

A famous writer named Jonathan Swift described Thomas Tufton as a person known for his "piety and charity." This means he was seen as a very religious and kind person who helped others.

When Thomas Tufton passed away, his title of Earl of Thanet went to his nephew, Sackville Tufton. The Barony de Clifford title became "in abeyance" until 1734. This means it was put on hold until it could be decided who would inherit it next.