Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet

Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet, 18th Baron de Clifford PC (30 August 1644 – 30 July 1729)[1] was an English nobleman and politician.[2]

He was the fourth son of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet and his wife Margaret Sackville, Baroness Clifford and inherited the title on the death in 1684 of his elder brother Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet.[1] Through his maternal grandmother, he was heir to the Barony de Clifford and to vast estates in Cumberland and Westmorland.[1] He served as hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland from 1684 to 1729.[1]

He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the Troop of Horse.[3] He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Appleby between 1668 and 1679.[3] He succeeded to the title of 6th Earl of the Isle of Thanet, co. Kent [E., 1628] on 27 April 1680.[3] He gained the rank of Colonel in 1685 in the service of the Regiment of Horse (5th Horse).[3] He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Westmorland between 1685 and 1687.[3] He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Cumberland between 1685 and 1687.[3] He succeeded to the title of 18th Lord Clifford [E., 1299] on 12 December 1691, resolved by the House of Lords.[1] He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) from 1703 to 1707 and 1711 to 1714.[3] He held the office of Lord-Lieutenant of Cumberland between 1712 and 1714.[3]

On 14 August 1684, he married Lady Catharine Cavendish (d. 1712), daughter of Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle.[3] They had eight children, five of whom reached adulthood:

In 1703, he was sworn a Privy Counsellor. A country gentleman and a Tory, he was noted by Swift for his "piety and charity."

On his death, his title passed to his nephew Sackville Tufton, 7th Earl of Thanet, son of his younger brother Sackville. The barony of Clifford again fell into abeyance until 1734.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 G. E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume III, page 297-298.
  2. Record for Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet on thepeerage.com'
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Charles Mosley, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1064-1065
Parliament of England
Preceded by
John Lowther
John Dalston
Member of Parliament for Appleby
1668 – 1679
With: John Dalston
Succeeded by
Richard Tufton
Anthony Lowther
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Earl of Thanet
High Sheriff of Westmorland
1684–1729
Succeeded by
The Earl of Thanet
Preceded by
The Earl of Carlisle
Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland and Westmorland
1685–1687
Succeeded by
The Viscount Preston
Custos Rotulorum of Cumberland
1685–1689
Succeeded by
Sir John Lowther, Bt
Preceded by
The Lord Wharton
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland
1702–1706
Succeeded by
The Earl of Wharton
Preceded by
The Earl of Wharton
Custos Rotulorum of Westmorland
1714
Succeeded by
The Earl of Wharton
Preceded by
The Earl of Carlisle
Custos Rotulorum of Cumberland
1714–1715
Succeeded by
The Earl of Carlisle
Peerage of England
Preceded by
Richard Tufton
Earl of Thanet
1684–1729
Succeeded by
Sackville Tufton
Baron de Clifford
1684–1729
Succeeded by
Abeyant
next held by Margaret Coke