Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=DecemberJanuary 20162022}}

|name = Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Bt

|honorific-suffix = [[Baronet|Bt]]

|spouse = {{marriage|Mary Davies|1677}}

'''Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet''', born: (20 November 1656, died:– {{death2 dateJuly and age|1700|7|2|1656|11|20|df=y}},) was an [[England|English]] [[Member of Parliament]], and an ancestor of the modern day [[Duke of Westminster|Dukes of Westminster]]. He was the first member of the family to build a substantial house on the present site of [[Eaton Hall, Cheshire|Eaton Hall]] in [[Cheshire]].

Grosvenor was born at [[Eaton Hall, Cheshire|Eaton Hall]], [[Cheshire]], the son of Roger Grosvenor by his wife, Christian (or Christine), daughter of Thomas Myddleton of [[Chirk Castle]], [[Denbighshire]].<ref name=newton>{{cite book|last=Newton|first=Diana|last2=Lumby|first2=Jonathan|year=2002|title=The Grosvenors of Eaton|place=[[Eccleston, Cheshire]]|publisher=Jennet Publications|pages=8–12|isbn=0-9543379-0-5}}</ref> He was less than five years old when his father, Roger, was killed in a duel with his cousin, Hugh Roberts, on 22 August 1661. Roger had been the son and heir of [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet]], and therefore, GrosvenorThomas succeeded to the [[baronet]]cy upon the death of his grandfather [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet]] on 31&nbsp;January 1665. He was eight years old at that time.<ref name=newton/>

Grosvenor was educated by a [[private tutor]], who also accompanied him when he undertook the [[Grand Tour]], in his case, a three-year educational tour of France, Italy and the [[Levant]], starting in 1670.<ref name=dnb>Handley, Stuart (2004) (online edition 2008) '[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11674 Grosvenor, Sir Thomas, third baronet (1655-17001655–1700)]', ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', [[Oxford University Press]], Retrieved on 6&nbsp;April 2010. {{ODNBsub}}</ref> On his return, he set about building a new house at [[Eaton, west Cheshire West and Chester|Eaton]]. At that time, the family house was a [[Middle Ages|medieval]] [[moat]]ed house. The new house was the first substantial one to be built, and it was constructed to the north of the older house. Grosvenor appointed the architect [[William Samwell (architect)|William Samwell]] to design it, and building started in 1675. By 1683, over £1,000 (£{{formatnum:{{Inflation|UK|1000|1683|2015|r=-3}}}} {{as of|2015|lc=y}}){{Inflation-fn|UK}} had been spent on the hall.<ref>{{cite book|year=2002|title=Eaton Halls|publisher=Eaton Estate|page=2}}</ref> The money for this venture came partly from the estates, and also from [[Coal mining|coal]] and [[lead]] [[Mining|mines]], and from stone quarries in north [[Wales]], that were owned by the family.<ref name=newton/>

Grosvenor married in 1677; he was aged 21, and his wife, [[Mary Davies (heiress)|Mary Davies]], was only 12 years old.<ref name=newton/> The marriage was arranged by their families in a manner and at an age which was quite normal in England in that era; it proved to be harmonious and conventional, and lasted all their lives. Mary was the daughter of Alexander Davies, a [[scrivener]] (scribe), and she had [[Inheritance|inherited]] substantial land to the west of [[London]] from her great-uncle [[Hugh Audley]]. This was part of the Manor of [[Eia|Ebury]] (previously Eia), and Mary's portion consisted of 'swampy meads' ([[marsh]]land).<ref name=newton/> The area was later to become the [[Mayfair]], [[Park Lane (road)|Park Lane]], and [[Belgravia]] areas of London; the most valuable parts of the [[Grosvenor Estate]].

The couple had three daughters and five sons. Two of the sons, Thomas and Roger, died young; the other three sons all succeeded in turn to the baronetcy, [[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet|Richard]] became the 4th Baronet, [[Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 5th Baronet|Thomas]] the 5th, and [[Sir Robert Grosvenor, 6th Baronet|Robert]] the 6th.<ref name=dnb/> Two of the daughters, Elizabeth and Mary, also died young. Grosvenor died when Mary was eight months pregnant; she gave birth to a daughter, Ann, within a month.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://londonhistorians.wordpress.com/2021/04/26/inheritance/|title=''Inheritance: the Long History of Mary Davies'' by Leo Hollis|date=26 April 2021|last=Renier|first=Hannah|website=londonhistorians.wordpress.com|access-date=10 January 2022}}</ref>

Mary was buried in the churchyard of [[St. Margaret's Church, Westminster]], where in 1892, her tomb was the only one to be seen there, close to the north porch of the church.<ref>Smith, J.E., ''St John the Evangelist, Westminster: Parochial Memorials'', Westminster, 1892, pp.355-362355–362 [https://archive.org/stream/stjohnevangelist00smit/stjohnevangelist00smit_djvu.txt]</ref>

{{s-aft|after=[[Roger Whitley]]<br>[[George Mainwaring (politicianMP, died 1695)|George Mainwaring]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Roger Whitley]]<br>[[George Mainwaring (politicianMP, died 1695)|George Mainwaring]]}}

{{s-bef|before=[[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Baronet|Richard Grosvenor]]}}

{{s-ttl|title=[[Duke of Westminster|Baronet]]<br /> '''(of Eaton)'''|years=1665–1700}}

{{s-aft|after=[[Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet|Richard Grosvenor]]}}