Sir Thomas Alston, 5th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Alston, 5th Baronet (c. 1724 – 18 July 1774) was an English Baronet
and Member of Parliament
.
Thomas Alston was the eldest son of Sir Rowland Alston, 4th Baronet of Odell, Bedfordshire
. He was admitted at Queens' College, Cambridge
in 1740. From 1747 to 1761 he was MP for Bedfordshire
. In 1750 he married Catherine Davie Bovey, but separated from her by mutual consent two years later. Confined for a while to a madhouse
, he was nevertheless re-elected to Parliament unopposed in 1754. Horace Walpole reported a sorry appearance in the House of Commons
in November 1755: "Poor Alston was mad, and spoke ten times to order."
On 2 Jan 1759 he succeeded his father as 5th Baronet
. He did not stand for Parliament in 1761.
Alston died 18 July 1774, leaving his property to his housekeeper Margaret Lee, through whom it eventually made its way to his illegitimate son Thomas. He was buried at Odell.
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Thomas Alston was the eldest son of Sir Rowland Alston, 4th Baronet of Odell, Bedfordshire
Odell, Bedfordshire
Odell is a village and civil parish in the north of the county of Bedfordshire in England that lies to the north-west of the county town of Bedford, near the villages of Harrold, Felmersham, Sharnbrook, and Carlton.-Roman and Saxon period:...
. He was admitted at Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
in 1740. From 1747 to 1761 he was MP for Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Bedfordshire was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency, which elected two Members of Parliament from 1295 until 1885, when it was divided into two constituencies under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885.-History:...
. In 1750 he married Catherine Davie Bovey, but separated from her by mutual consent two years later. Confined for a while to a madhouse
Madhouse
Madhouse may refer to:* Madhouse is a colloquial term for a psychiatric hospital or other mental institution* Madhouse is the nickname given to Double One in darts- Films :* Madhouse , a 1974 film featuring Vincent Price...
, he was nevertheless re-elected to Parliament unopposed in 1754. Horace Walpole reported a sorry appearance in the House of Commons
House of Commons of Great Britain
The House of Commons of Great Britain was the lower house of the Parliament of Great Britain between 1707 and 1801. In 1707, as a result of the Acts of Union of that year, it replaced the House of Commons of England and the third estate of the Parliament of Scotland, as one of the most significant...
in November 1755: "Poor Alston was mad, and spoke ten times to order."
On 2 Jan 1759 he succeeded his father as 5th Baronet
Alston Baronets
There have been two Alston Baronetcies – both created in the Baronetage of England.- Alston of Odell, Beds :* Sir Thomas Alston, 1st Baronet * Sir Rowland Alston, 2nd Baronet...
. He did not stand for Parliament in 1761.
Alston died 18 July 1774, leaving his property to his housekeeper Margaret Lee, through whom it eventually made its way to his illegitimate son Thomas. He was buried at Odell.