Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham
Encyclopedia
Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham PC (14 July 1748 – 16 January 1818), was a British peer and politician. He served as Joint Postmaster General
between 1787 and 1794 and was for many years Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords
.
, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
.
for Wareham
in 1774, for Tamworth
from 1774 to 1780 and for Lostwithiel
from 1780 to 1781, when he succeeded his father and took his seat in the House of Lords. In 1783 Lord Walsingham was admitted to the Privy Council, and from 1787 to 1794 he served as Joint Postmaster General
. He was also Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords
for over twenty years.
. He died in January 1818, aged 69, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, George.
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
between 1787 and 1794 and was for many years Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
.
Background
Walsingham was the son of William de Grey, 1st Baron WalsinghamWilliam de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham
William de Grey, 1st Baron Walsingham KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas between 1771 and 1780....
, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
.
Political career
Walsingham sat as Member of ParliamentMember 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 Wareham
Wareham (UK Parliament constituency)
Wareham was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1302 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-History:...
in 1774, for Tamworth
Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tamworth is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
from 1774 to 1780 and for Lostwithiel
Lostwithiel (UK Parliament constituency)
Lostwithiel was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1304 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from 1780 to 1781, when he succeeded his father and took his seat in the House of Lords. In 1783 Lord Walsingham was admitted to the Privy Council, and from 1787 to 1794 he served as Joint Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
. He was also Chairman of Committees in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
for over twenty years.
Family
Lord Walsingham married the Hon. Augusta Georgina Elizabeth, daughter of William Irby, 1st Baron BostonWilliam Irby, 1st Baron Boston
William Irby, 1st Baron Boston was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Irby was the son of Sir Edward Irby, 1st Baronet and inherited his father's baronetcy in 1718. On 26 August 1746, he married Albinia Selwyn and they had three children...
. He died in January 1818, aged 69, and was succeeded in the barony by his eldest son, George.