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Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton facts for kids

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The Most Honourable
The Marquess of Wharton
Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton.png
Portrait by Godfrey Kneller
Lord Privy Seal
In office
1714–1715
Preceded by The Earl of Dartmouth
Succeeded by The Earl of Sunderland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office
1708–1710
Preceded by The Earl of Pembroke
Succeeded by The Duke of Ormonde
Personal details
Born August 1648
Died 12 April 1715 (aged 66)

Thomas Wharton, 1st Marquess of Wharton, PC (August 1648 – 12 April 1715) was an English peer and Whig politician. A man of great charm and political ability, he was also notorious for his debauched lifestyle.

Background

He was the son of Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton, and his second wife, Jane Goodwin, only daughter of Colonel Arthur Goodwin of Upper Winchendon, Buckinghamshire, and heiress to the extensive Goodwin estates in Buckinghamshire, including Winchendon, Wooburn, Waddeston, Weston, and other properties.

Career

In his long political career, he was a Member of Parliament for seventeen years and spearheaded the Whig opposition to King James II's government, which later developed the two-party political system under Queen Anne. Before the Glorious Revolution he was in close contact with a group of army officers conspiring against King James, including his brother Captain Henry Wharton.

In 1689 he was sworn of the Privy Council and made Comptroller of the Household by King William III, establishing the link between the royal position and government for the first time, although William is said to have distrusted him.

He went out of office in 1702, after the accession of Anne, who disliked him intensely, and took great pleasure in personally taking his staff of office from him, but in 1706, he was created Earl of Wharton and Viscount Winchendon in the Peerage of England. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1708–1710. He was replaced by the Tory Duke of Ormonde when the Harley Ministry came to power.

He supported the No Peace Without Spain motion in 1711. The following year he attacked the government's creation of Harley's Dozen, twelve new Tory peers in order to secure passage of their peace agreement.

Last years

Under George I of Great Britain, he returned to favour. In January 1715, he was created Marquess of Catherlough, Earl of Rathfarnham, and Baron Trim in the Peerage of Ireland, and in February 1715 Marquess of Wharton and Marquess of Malmesbury in the Peerage of Great Britain.

When he died suddenly in April 1715 he was buried in Upper Winchendon, Buckinghamshire. He is the author of the original lyrics of Lillibullero, which "rhymed King James out of England".

Family

PORTRAIT OF THE HON. LUCY LOFTUS, MARCHIONESS OF WHARTON (1670-1717)
Wharton's second wife, Lucy Loftus

Wharton married firstly on 16 September 1673 Anne, or Nan, Lee (d 29 October 1685 aged 26), younger daughter of Sir Henry Lee, 3rd Bt. (d. 1659), an elder half-brother of the famous libertine poet John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester; she had some reputation as a poet and dramatist. They had no issue together. Her sister Eleanora Lee married James Bertie, Lord Norreys; their cousin was Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. ..... Her grandmother Anne St. John, Countess of Rochester tried to regain her fortune from the Whartons with little effect.

He married secondly Lucy Loftus, only daughter and heiress of Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Lisburne and Lucy Brydges. They had one son Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton, and two daughters, Lucy Morice and Jane Holt. On his son's death without heirs, all his titles became extinct, except the Barony which passed to Jane Holt.

See also

Succession boxes

Parliament of England (to 1707)
Preceded by
Richard Hampden
Edward Backwell
Member of Parliament for Wendover
1673–1679
With: Richard Hampden
Succeeded by
Richard Hampden
Edward Backwell
Preceded by
Sir William Bowyer, Bt
William Tyringham
Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire
1679–1696
With: John Hampden 1679–1681
Richard Hampden 1681–1685
Viscount Brackley 1685–1686
Sir Thomas Lee, Bt 1689–1690
Richard Hampden 1690–1695
Sir Richard Atkins, Bt 1695–1696
Succeeded by
Sir Richard Atkins, Bt
The Viscount Newhaven
Legal offices
Preceded by
The 1st Earl of Abingdon
Justice in Eyre
south of the Trent

1697–1702
Vacant
Vacant Justice in Eyre
south of the Trent

1706–1711
Succeeded by
The 2nd Earl of Abingdon
Honorary titles


Preceded by
The 1st Earl of Abingdon
Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire
1697–1702
Succeeded by
The 2nd Earl of Abingdon
Preceded by
The Lord Jeffreys
Custos Rotulorum of Buckinghamshire
1689–1702
Succeeded by
The Viscount Newhaven
Preceded by
The Earl of Bridgewater
Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire
1702
Preceded by
The 1st Viscount Lonsdale
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland
1700–1702
Succeeded by
The Earl of Thanet
Preceded by
The Earl of Thanet
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland
1706–1714
Succeeded by
The Earl of Thanet
Preceded by
The Earl of Thanet
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland
1714–1715
Succeeded by
The 3rd Viscount Lonsdale
Political offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Pembroke
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1708–1710
Succeeded by
The Duke of Ormonde
Preceded by
The Earl of Dartmouth
Lord Privy Seal
1714–1715
Succeeded by
The Earl of Sunderland
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation Marquess of Wharton
Marquess of Malmesbury

1715
Succeeded by
Philip Wharton
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Marquess of Catherlough
1715
Succeeded by
Philip Wharton
Peerage of England
New creation Earl of Wharton
1706–1715
Succeeded by
Philip Wharton
Preceded by
Philip Wharton
Baron Wharton
1696–1715
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