Thomas Walpole
Encyclopedia
Thomas Walpole styled from 1756 The Hon. Thomas Walpole, was a British MP
and banker in Paris.
, the prime minister from 1721 to 1742.
Walpole entered into partnership with the merchant Sir Joshua Vanneck
, and married his daughter Elizabeth Vanneck on 14 November 1753. She died on 9 June 1760.
He was MP for Sudbury
from 1754 to 1761, and MP for Ashburton
from 1761 ot 1768. In 1762 he was involved in efforts to engineer William Pitt the Elder into a rapprochement with the Duke of Newcastle. In 1768 he succeeded his cousin Horace Walpole as MP for Lynn
. In the early 1770s Walpole led a group of investors, including Benjamin Franklin
, to seek from the crown a land grant in Ohio
. He remained MP for Lynn until 1784, when he was succeeded by his nephew Horatio Walpole
.
In 1787 he married his second wife, Jeanne-Marguerite Batailhe de Montval. From 1799 until his death Walpole lived in a large house, today named Walpole House, on Chiswick Mall, Chiswick
.
His son Thomas (1755–1840) was British Ambassador to Munich
.
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,...
and banker in Paris.
Life
Thomas Walpole was born into a political family. The second son of the 1st Baron Walpole and his wife Mary, nee Lombard, he was the nephew of Sir Robert WalpoleRobert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
, the prime minister from 1721 to 1742.
Walpole entered into partnership with the merchant Sir Joshua Vanneck
Sir Joshua Vanneck, 1st Baronet
Sir Joshua Vanneck, 1st Baronet was a British-Dutch merchant.Venneck was born in The Hague, the son of Cornelius Van Neck. He emigrated to Britain in 1722 and became a successful London merchant. This enabled him to purchase the estate of Heveningham Hall in Suffolk. In 1751 he was created a...
, and married his daughter Elizabeth Vanneck on 14 November 1753. She died on 9 June 1760.
He was MP for Sudbury
Sudbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Sudbury was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. A parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1559 until it was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844...
from 1754 to 1761, and MP for Ashburton
Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency)
Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...
from 1761 ot 1768. In 1762 he was involved in efforts to engineer William Pitt the Elder into a rapprochement with the Duke of Newcastle. In 1768 he succeeded his cousin Horace Walpole as MP for Lynn
King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
. In the early 1770s Walpole led a group of investors, including Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, to seek from the crown a land grant in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He remained MP for Lynn until 1784, when he was succeeded by his nephew Horatio Walpole
Horatio Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford
Horatio Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford , styled The Honourable Horatio Walpole between 1757 and 1806 and Lord Walpole between 1806 and 1809, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
.
In 1787 he married his second wife, Jeanne-Marguerite Batailhe de Montval. From 1799 until his death Walpole lived in a large house, today named Walpole House, on Chiswick Mall, Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
.
His son Thomas (1755–1840) was British Ambassador to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
.