Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester
Encyclopedia
Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester PC, PC (Ire)
, FRS
(28 April 1756 – 4 July 1826), styled The Honourable Thomas Pelham from 1768 until 1783, The Right Honourable Thomas Pelham from 1783 to 1801, and then known as Lord Pelham until 1805, was a British Whig politician. He notably held office as Home Secretary
under Henry Addington
from 1801 to 1803.
, and his wife Anne, daughter of Frederick Meinhardt Frankland. The Right Reverend George Pelham
was his younger brother. He was educated at Westminster
and Clare College, Cambridge
.
2nd ministry (1782), and Chief Secretary for Ireland
in the coalition ministry of 1783 (when he was also appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland
). He represented Carrick
in the Irish House of Commons
from 1783 to 1790 and Clogher
from 1795 to 1798. In 1795 he was sworn of the Privy Council
and became Irish chief secretary under Pitt's
government, retiring in 1798. In the latter year he was elected for Armagh Borough
, a seat he held only until the next year. He was Home Secretary
from July 1801 to August 1803 under Addington
, who made him Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
in 1803. Pelham went out of office in 1804, and in the next year succeeded to the earldom. He was joint-Postmaster-General from 1807 to 1823, and for the remaining three years of his life Postmaster-General.
, in 1801. They had three sons and three daughters. Their second son the Hon. Frederick Thomas Pelham
was a naval commander while their third son the Right Reverend John Thomas Pelham
was Bishop of Norwich
. Lord Chichester died in July 1826, aged 70, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Henry. His daughter Lady Amelia Rose married Major General Sir Joshua Jebb
, the Surveyor General of Prisons and designer of Pentonville Prison
, the 'Model Prison', on 5 September 1854. The Countess of Chichester died in October 1862, aged 86.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(28 April 1756 – 4 July 1826), styled The Honourable Thomas Pelham from 1768 until 1783, The Right Honourable Thomas Pelham from 1783 to 1801, and then known as Lord Pelham until 1805, was a British Whig politician. He notably held office as Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
under Henry Addington
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, PC was a British statesman, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804....
from 1801 to 1803.
Background and education
Chichester was the eldest son of Thomas Pelham, 1st Earl of ChichesterThomas Pelham, 1st Earl of Chichester
Thomas Pelham, 1st Earl of Chichester PC , known as the Lord Pelham of Stanmer from 1768 to 1801, was a British Whig politician.Pelham was the son of Thomas Pelham and his wife Annetta, daughter of Thomas Bridges...
, and his wife Anne, daughter of Frederick Meinhardt Frankland. The Right Reverend George Pelham
George Pelham (bishop)
George Pelham was a Church of England bishop, serving in the sees of Bristol , Exeter and Lincoln . He began his career as Vicar of Hellingly in Sussex in 1800....
was his younger brother. He was educated at Westminster
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
.
Political career
Chichester was surveyor-general of ordnance in Lord Rockingham'sCharles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
2nd ministry (1782), and Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
in the coalition ministry of 1783 (when he was also appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
). He represented Carrick
Carrick (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Carrick was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1614 to 1800. It returned two members.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:...
in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
from 1783 to 1790 and Clogher
Clogher (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Clogher was a borough constituency in the Irish House of Commons until 1800. It represented the "city" of Clogher in County Tyrone. The city, actually no more than a village, gained its importance as the site of the cathedral of the Church of Ireland diocese of Clogher. The constituency was a...
from 1795 to 1798. In 1795 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
and became Irish chief secretary under Pitt's
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
government, retiring in 1798. In the latter year he was elected for Armagh Borough
Armagh Borough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Armagh Borough was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1613 to 1800.-History:This constituency was the borough of Armagh in County Armagh....
, a seat he held only until the next year. He was Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
from July 1801 to August 1803 under Addington
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, PC was a British statesman, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804....
, who made him Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster...
in 1803. Pelham went out of office in 1804, and in the next year succeeded to the earldom. He was joint-Postmaster-General from 1807 to 1823, and for the remaining three years of his life Postmaster-General.
Family
Lord Chichester married Lady Mary Henrietta Juliana, daughter of Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of LeedsFrancis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds
Francis Godolphin Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds KG, PC , styled Marquess of Carmarthen until 1789, was a British politician...
, in 1801. They had three sons and three daughters. Their second son the Hon. Frederick Thomas Pelham
Frederick Thomas Pelham
Rear Admiral Frederick Thomas Pelham CB was an Royal Navy officer who went on to be Second Naval Lord.-Naval career:...
was a naval commander while their third son the Right Reverend John Thomas Pelham
John Thomas Pelham
John Thomas Pelham , styled The Honourable from birth, was a British Anglican clergyman.-Background and education:...
was Bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
. Lord Chichester died in July 1826, aged 70, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Henry. His daughter Lady Amelia Rose married Major General Sir Joshua Jebb
Joshua Jebb
Sir Joshua Jebb was a Royal Engineer and the British Surveyor-General of convict prisons.He participated in the Battle of Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain during the War of 1812, and surveyed a route between Ottawa River and Kingston where Lake Ontario flows into Saint Lawrence River...
, the Surveyor General of Prisons and designer of Pentonville Prison
Pentonville (HM Prison)
HM Prison Pentonville is a Category B/C men's prison, operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service. Pentonville Prison is not actually within Pentonville itself, but is located further north, on the Caledonian Road in the Barnsbury area of the London Borough of Islington, in inner-North London,...
, the 'Model Prison', on 5 September 1854. The Countess of Chichester died in October 1862, aged 86.