Thomas Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry
Encyclopedia
Thomas Innes Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry (c. 1688 – 12 September 1729) was a British
politician. He served as Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1728 to 1729.
Pitt was the second son of Thomas Pitt
, of Boconnoc
, and his wife Jane Innes, daughter of James Innes. William Pitt the Elder
was his nephew and William Pitt the Younger
his great-nephew. Pitt sat as a Member of Parliament
for Wilton
from 1713 to 1727 and for Old Sarum
from 1727 to 1728. The latter year he was appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands, a post he held until his death the following year. Pitt was also a Colonel
in the Princess of Wales's Own Regiment of Horse and in the Prince George of Denmark's Regiment.
Pitt married Lady Frances Ridgeway, daughter of Robert Ridgeway, 4th Earl of Londonderry, on 10 March 1717. They had two sons and one daughter. The earldom of Londonderry held by his father-in-law had become extinct on the latter's death in 1714. In 1719 the Londonderry title was revived for Pitt who was created Baron Londonderry in the Peerage of Ireland
. Seven years later the earldom was also revived when he was created Viscount Gallen-Ridgeway and Earl of Londonderry, again in the Peerage of Ireland. Lord Londonderry died on 12 September 1729, and was succeeded in his peerages by his eldest son Thomas Pitt.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
politician. He served as Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1728 to 1729.
Pitt was the second son of Thomas Pitt
Thomas Pitt
Thomas Pitt , born at Blandford Forum, Dorset, to a rector and his wife, was a British merchant involved in trade with India....
, of Boconnoc
Boconnoc
Boconnoc is a civil parish in Cornwall, United Kingdom, approximately four miles east of Lostwithiel. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 121.The parish is rural in character and is fairly well wooded...
, and his wife Jane Innes, daughter of James Innes. William Pitt the Elder
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham PC was a British Whig statesman who led Britain during the Seven Years' War...
was his nephew and William Pitt the Younger
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...
his great-nephew. Pitt sat as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Wilton
Wilton (UK Parliament constituency)
Wilton was the name of a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire. It was represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1707, then in the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of the Parliament of the...
from 1713 to 1727 and for Old Sarum
Old Sarum (UK Parliament constituency)
Old Sarum was the most infamous of the so-called 'rotten boroughs', a parliamentary constituency of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland which was effectively controlled by a single person, until it was abolished under the Reform Act 1832. The constituency was the site of what had been...
from 1727 to 1728. The latter year he was appointed Governor of the Leeward Islands, a post he held until his death the following year. Pitt was also a Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Princess of Wales's Own Regiment of Horse and in the Prince George of Denmark's Regiment.
Pitt married Lady Frances Ridgeway, daughter of Robert Ridgeway, 4th Earl of Londonderry, on 10 March 1717. They had two sons and one daughter. The earldom of Londonderry held by his father-in-law had become extinct on the latter's death in 1714. In 1719 the Londonderry title was revived for Pitt who was created Baron Londonderry in the Peerage of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
. Seven years later the earldom was also revived when he was created Viscount Gallen-Ridgeway and Earl of Londonderry, again in the Peerage of Ireland. Lord Londonderry died on 12 September 1729, and was succeeded in his peerages by his eldest son Thomas Pitt.