Edward Thompson (1697–1742)
Edward Thompson (26 February 1697 – 5 July 1742) was a prominent Yorkshire politician of the early 18th century.
Life
Thompson was the son of Edward Thompson of Long Marston (1670–1734) and Lucy Tindall, and the grandson of Henry Thompson, a wine merchant of York who established the prominence of the Thompson family. His sister, Henrietta, married Colonel Edward Wolfe and became the mother of James Wolfe.[1] He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Wakefield.
In 1722, Thompson was elected Member of Parliament for York, a seat he held for the remainder of his life. Employed as a Commissioner of the Land Revenue in Ireland, he issued a pamphlet justifying the introduction of a general excise there. This, and the pomp with which he carried out his office, aroused the scorn of Jonathan Swift in 1733 in a polemic against holders of civil office.[2] From 1729 until 1733, he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of York.[3]
Family
Thompson first married Arabella Dunch (d. 1734), daughter of Edmund Dunch, on 6 February 1725. By her he had one daughter:[1]
- Arabella Thompson (d. 28 February 1735).
Thompson separated from Arabella, who later bore two children to her brother-in-lawSir George Oxenden.[4] By his second wife, Mary Moor (d. 1784), he had a second daughter:[1]
- Mary Thompson (14 September 1738 – 29 June 1747).
On 5 May 1741, he was appointed a Commissioner of the Admiralty, but died the following year.
References
- ^ a b c Foster, Joseph (1874). Pedigrees of the County Families of Yorkshire. London.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Swift, Jonathan (1733). Advice to the Freemen of the City of Dublin in the choice of a member to represent them in Parliament. Retrieved 2006-11-30.
- ^ "Old Grand Lodge at York". Retrieved 2006-11-30.
- ^ Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1888). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 16. London: Smith, Elder & Co.