Thomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey
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Thomas Philip Robinson,, 2nd Earl de Grey PC, KG (8 December 1781 – 14 November 1859) was a British Tory politician and statesman of the 19th century. His last name was also known as Weddell (from 1803), and de Grey (from 1833).
He was the eldest son of the 2nd Baron Grantham and his wife, Mary (a daughter of the 2nd Marchioness Grey and younger sister of the 1st Countess de Grey), from whom he inherited on 4 May 1833 Wrest Park estate in Silsoe, Bedfordshire. He succeeded his father as third baron in 1786. He became the sixth baronet Robinson of Newby in 1792 and second Earl de Grey and Baron Lucas of Crudwell, Wiltshire in 1833.
He was made Privy Counsellor in December 1834 while holding office as first Lord of the Admiralty till April 1835, and a Knight of the Garter in 1844. He was colonel-commandant of the Yorkshire Hussar Regiment of Cavalry for over forty years and was appointed yeomanry aide-de-camp to William IV and held similar position under Queen Victoria. Thomas de Grey was nominated as Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire in 1818, an office which he held until his death. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from September 1841 to July 1844.
On the founding of the Institute of British Architects in London in 1834 he was invited to become its first president remaining so till his death in 1859. The institute received its Royal Charter in 1837 becoming Royal Institute of British Architects in London. Earl de Grey was also a fellow of the Royal Society, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and served as one of the New Buckingham Palace Commissioners from 1848.
He designed the new Wrest House inspired by French architecture at his Wrest Park estate in Bedfordshire between February 1833 and October 1839, assisted by James Clephan, and maintained the Park adding a number of decorations and statues.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- The Earl de Grey’s account of the building of Wrest House, History of Wrest House, introduction by A. F. Cirket, The Bedfordshire Historical Record Society, Volume 59, pp 65-87, Bedford 1980
- Earl de Grey, Charles Read, London 2007 [1]
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Earl of Upper Ossory |
Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire 1818–1859 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Bedford |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Lord Auckland |
First Lord of the Admiralty 1834–1835 |
Succeeded by The Lord Auckland |
| Preceded by Viscount Ebrington |
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1841–1844 |
Succeeded by The Lord Heytesbury |
| Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by Amabel Yorke |
Earl de Grey 1833–1859 |
Succeeded by George Robinson |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by Amabel Yorke |
Baron Lucas of Crudwell 1833–1859 |
Succeeded by Anne Cowper |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Robinson |
Baron Grantham 1786–1859 |
Succeeded by George Robinson |
| Baronetage of England | ||
| Preceded by Norton Robinson |
Baronet (of Newby) 1792–1859 |
Succeeded by George Robinson |
