Sir Thomas Dixon, 2nd Baronet

Sir Thomas James Dixon, 2nd Baronet PC (NI) (29 May 1868 – 10 May 1950), was a Northern Ireland politician.

Dixon was the eldest son of Sir Daniel Dixon, 1st Baronet, Lord Mayor of Belfast. He succeeded his father as second Baronet in 1907. Dixon was a Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland from 1924 to 1950 and was admitted to the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in 1931. He served as High Sheriff of Antrim in 1912^[1] and of County Down in 1913 and was Lord Lieutenant of Belfast between 1924 and 1950.

Dixon married Edith, daughter of Stewart Clark, in 1906. He died in May 1950, aged 81, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother Herbert, who had already been elevated to the peerage as Baron Glentoran.

In 1919 Dixon, a prosperous Ulster businessman, purchased Wilmont House and its estates in Belfast for £21,500.^[2] Lady Dixon became a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her work for the armed forces during World War I. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, was a guest in 1935 and General Collins of the United States Army was billeted at Wilmont House during World War II. In 1959 Wilmont House and the estate was presented to Belfast Corporation “for the greatest good of the citizens of the City of Belfast” by Lady Dixon in memory of her husband. The popular Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park opened the same year.^[3]

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's List of Baronets