Sir Thomas White, 2nd Baronet

Sir Thomas Woollaston White, 2nd Baronet as a young man.

Sir Thomas Woollaston White, 2^nd Baronet of Tuxford and Wallingwells^[1] (3 October 1801 – 7 August 1882) was 16 years old when he succeeded his father Sir Thomas Woollaston White, 1st Bt. in his titles and estates. Being a minor when he succeeded, he was cared for by two guardians, Sir Frederick Gustavus Fowke, Bt. of Lowesby Hall in the County of Leicestershire and his cousin Henry Gally Knight of Langold. Gally Knight was a well-known archaeologist and the author of Ecclesiastical Architecture of Italy and Normandy, amongst others.

Sir Thomas attended Rugby School in Warwickshire, before joining the 16^th Lancers.

Marriage and Family

On the 4^th March 1824, Sir Thomas married Georgina,

Georgina, Lady White was the first wife of Sir Thomas White, Bt. of Wallingwells. She died at the age of 18

the youngest daughter of George Ramsay, Esq. of Barnton and Sauchie. She sadly died at the age of 18, on 2^nd December 1825 and was subsequently buried in the White family vault at the Church of St. Nicholas, Tuxford.

Sir Thomas married, secondly, on 21^st March 1827, Mary Euphemia,

Mary Euphemia, Lady White was the second wife of Sir Thomas White, 2nd Bt. of Wallingwells, and mother of the 3rd Baronet.

daughter of William Ramsay, Esq. of Gogar. Mary was a cousin of Georgina's, their fathers being first cousins, both descending from the 4^th Lord Belhaven and Stenton and their mothers being sisters.

Children of Sir Thomas White's First Marriage

Children of Sir Thomas White's Second Marriage

Army Career

Having served with the 16^th Lancers after leaving school, the Regiment was due to head off to India on campaign. However, due to his age, his guardians refused to allow him to go with his regiment and arranged for a transfer to the 3^rd Light Dragoons.

When Sir Thomas was in the 3^rd Light Dragoons, H.R.H. Duke of York, who was at that time the commander-in-chief, came to inspect the regiment at Brighton, whilst it was on its Sunday church parade.

Instead of, as is usual, walking behind the line of officers and inspecting the men, the Duke walked down in front of the officers and stopped when opposite Sir Thomas. “Your name,” he said, “is Sir Thomas Woollaston White?” Sir Thomas acknowledged that this was correct. “Your father raised, armed, and clothed a regiment of volunteers at his own expense?” Sir Thomas replied that this was the case. His Royal Highness answered, “A very noble deed, a very noble deed. Attend my levee, Sir.”

Sir Thomas, however, did not attend the Duke's levee, and some time later his colonel received a letter from Sir Herbert Taylor, the Duke’s military secretary, ordering Sir Thomas’ attendance. Upon his arrival, Sir Herbert asked Sir Thomas why he had neglected His Royal Highness’ commands, telling him he was very wrong. He added, “Do you know that I am authorised by H.R.H. to offer you a lieutenancy without purchase?” Sir Thomas thanked him, but declined the offer, as there was no vacancy in his regiment, and he did not wish to leave it. The military secretary then said, “If at any future time I can be of service to you in any way, make your wishes known, and they shall be attended to.”

Sir Thomas retired from the 3^rd Light Dragoons upon his first marriage, on half-pay.

For many years, Sir Thomas was Lieutenant-Colonel of both the Nottinghamshire militia, The Sherwood Foresters, and also The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry Cavalry.

Chartist Uprisings

In 1838, after the annual 8 days' of permanent drill at Newark, the Sherwood Rangers were ordered to Mansfield in preparation for the expected uprising of the Chartists. The Chartists at Sutton-in-Ashfield were to rise first, followed by other groups across the country. However, the Chartists found that the Yeomanry were far too strong for them and also wanted to annihilate the group; thus the uprisings quickly dissipated. The regiment stayed in Mansfield for 14 days on this occasion.

Sir Thomas sent regular reports, using the information he had gathered about the movements and state of the Chartists, to the Home Secretary, Lord John Russell. A letter of thanks was received back from Lord John, saying the account of the intentions of the Chartists, etc., which Sir Thomas had given him, was the most correct in every particular of any that had been supplied to the Home Office.

Newark Election Riots

During the 1840 election in Newark, the Sherwood Rangers were again called out, with Sir Thomas at their head, having been asked for his advice as what to do by the magistrates of the town. He suggested sending for the troops, who were posted a short way from the borough. However, nobody could be found to pass the news to the troops, as they were all frightened of the rioters. Sir Thomas decided to volunteer himself and set-off on his mission. When he reached the bridge over the River Trent, he found a dozen or so rioters guarding it. They threatened to throw him over the parapet into the water, if he dared step onto the bridge. Sir Thomas was a powerful man of six feet in height. He looked round him, and called out in a loud voice, “I have no doubt you can throw me over, but I shall take care that at least one man goes over with me.” The rioters were not expecting such a response and consequently were afraid to touch him; meaning he could cross the bridge and achieve his mission of calling out the troops.

Sir Thomas White's Army Career

High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire

Sir T.W. White 2nd Baronet of Tuxford and Wallingwells in his old age.

In 1833 Sir Thomas White, Bt. was chosen to be the High Sheriff of Nottingham. In 1833, the full pomp and ceremony of the meeting of the assize judges was still enacted. Sir Thomas rode out with his javelin men, who were all his own people. They were dressed in the green and silver livery of his seat, Wallingwells, and the trumpeters had silk banners showing his achievement-of-arms of 28 quarterings. Sir Thomas, himself, was mounted on a skewbold horse, which was caparisoned in the crimson velvet and gold trappings of the 1^st Duke of Marlborough (the trappings came into the White family via Sir Thomas's paternal grandmother, who was the daughter of the Duke's right-hand man, Major-General John Armstrong). Behind the javelin men and Sir Thomas came the judges in Sir Thomas's coach and four.

It is said that upon one occasion when Sir Thomas was waiting for a judge in his coach, two old farmers came up to it, peered in through the window and eventually uttered, "Nay, he is not half so good-looking as his father were when he was Sheriff!"

Letwell Church

In 1867, Letwell Church, which stood on Sir Thomas White's Wallingwells Estate, burnt down. Sir Thomas rebuilt the church at his own cost, with it re-opening on 12^th August 1869. The west window was dedicated to Sir Thomas's third cousin, former guardian, and neighbour at Langold, Henry Gally Knight. Gally Knight had left his Langold estate (3,209 acres) to Sir Thomas, upon his death in 1846.

The three lights of the east window are memorials to Sir Thomas and his two wives. The font was carved by his youngest daughter, Lady Maitland, whilst the pulpit and reading desk of oak with cedar let in, were carved by another daughter, Mary.

Carriage Accident and Death

In June 1970, when he was 69 years old, Sir Thomas was driving through Worksop when his horses took fright and the carriage collided with another. Sir Thomas was thrown out of the carriage and sustained injuries so severe that he was not expected to live. His right leg was amputated above the knee as a result of the accident.

Incredibly, largely due to his constitution and calmness of mind, he recovered and survived for another 12 years.

Sir Thomas White, Bt. died on 7^th August 1882. He was buried in the vault of the White chapel in the Church of St. Nicholas, Tuxford.

Succession to the Baronetcy

Sir Thomas was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son of the second marriage. He was also named Thomas Woollaston and was formally known as Sir Thomas Woollaston White, 3^rd Baronet of Tuxford and Wallingwells.

References