Thomas Watson-Wentworth

Memorial to Thomas Watson Wentworth in the north choir aisle of York Minster

The Hon. Thomas Watson (17 June 1665 – 6 October 1723) (later Watson-Wentworth, the third son of Edward Watson, 2nd Baron Rockingham) married Alice, a daughter of Sir Thomas Proby, 1st Baronet.

In 1695 Watson inherited the fortune of the Earl of Strafford, including the Wentworth Woodhouse estate, as the son of second earl's sister Anne. This was in preference to the earl's nearer relative, Thomas Wentworth, and led to a fierce rivalry between the two men and their families. In recognition of the bequest, Watson adopted the name Wentworth, becoming Thomas Watson-Wentworth thereafter.

He was a Member of Parliament for the Malton constituency from 1713 until 1722[1] and for Higham Ferrers in 1703–1714 and from 1722 until his death.[2]

He has a monument in York Minster.

One of his sons was Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquess of Rockingham, KB, PC (I) (13 November 1693 – 14 December 1750, a British peer and Whig politician.

References

  1. ↑ Rayment, Leigh (2010-11-17). "The House of Commons: Constituencies beginning with "M"". Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  2. ↑ Rayment, Leigh (2010-10-03). "The House of Commons: Constituencies beginning with "H"". Retrieved 2011-03-19.