Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham
| The Right Honourable The Lord Grantham PC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First Lord of Trade | |
|
In office 9 December 1780 – 11 July 1782 | |
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister |
Lord North The Marquess of Rockingham |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Carlisle |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Sydney (President of the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations) |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |
|
In office 13 July 1782 – 2 April 1783 | |
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Shelburne |
| Preceded by | Hon. Charles James Fox |
| Succeeded by | Hon. Charles James Fox |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
30 November 1738 Vienna, Austria |
| Died | 20 July 1786 |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse(s) |
Lady Mary Yorke (1757-1830) |
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge |
Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham PC (30 November 1738 – 20 July 1786) was a British politician and statesman. He notably served as Foreign Secretary between 1782 and 1783.
Background and education
Grantham was born in Vienna, Austria, the son of Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham, British Ambassador to Austria at the time, by his wife Frances, daughter of Thomas Worsley. He was educated at Westminster School and at Christ's College, Cambridge,[1]
Political career
Grantham entered parliament as member for Christchurch in 1761,[2] and succeeded to the peerage, because of his father's death, in 1770. That year he was appointed to the Privy Council. In 1771 he was sent as British Ambassador to Spain and retained this post until war broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1779. In 1772, while at the Summer Spanish Court in Aranjuez, he received correspondence from Richard Wall, the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs.[3] From 1780 to 1782 Grantham was President of the Board of Trade, and from July 1782 to April 1783 Foreign Secretary under Lord Shelburne.
Family
Lord Grantham married Lady Mary Jemima, daughter of Philip Yorke, 2nd Earl of Hardwicke and Jemima Yorke, 2nd Marchioness Grey, in 1780. They had three sons, Thomas, later 2nd Earl de Grey, and Frederick John, later Viscount Goderich and Earl of Ripon, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1827 and 1828. He died on 20 July 1786, aged only 46, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Thomas. Lady Grantham died in January 1830, aged 72 years old.
Styles of address
- 1738-1761: Mr Thomas Robinson
- 1761: The Hon Thomas Robinson
- 1761-1770: The Hon Thomas Robinson MP
- 1770: The Rt Hon The Second Baron Grantham
- 1770-1786: The Rt Hon The Second Baron Grantham PC
See Also
References
- ↑ "Robinson, Thomas (RBN755T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ↑ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "C" (part 4)
- ↑ Letters from Wall to Robinson, 30 December 1772, 10 December 1776, 13 December 1774, 18 October 1777. Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Record Service L 30/14/409/1-4. Wall lived at Soto de Roma, Íllora, near Granada and mentions people from England visiting him, receiving and sending little presents.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
External links
- Archival material relating to Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham listed at the UK National Archives
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir Thomas Robinson John Mordaunt |
Member of Parliament for Christchurch 1761 – 1770 With: James Harris |
Succeeded by James Harris Sir James Harris |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Viscount Villiers |
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household 1770–1771 |
Succeeded by Viscount Hinchingbrooke |
| Preceded by The Earl of Carlisle |
First Lord of Trade 1780–1782 |
Succeeded by Thomas Townshend as President of the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations |
| Preceded by Charles James Fox |
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1782–1783 |
Succeeded by Charles James Fox |
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Thomas Robinson |
Baron Grantham 1770–1786 |
Succeeded by Thomas Robinson |
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