Thomas Pitt MP (1653 - 1726)

Born 5 Jul 1653 in Blandford Forum, Dorset, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 28 Apr 1726 at age 72 in Swallowfield Park, Berkshire, England

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Biography

Thomas Pitt was the son of Reverend John Pitt and Sarah Jay. Known as Diamond Pitt, his nickname stems from a famous 410 carat (82 g) uncut diamond he purchased for 48,000 pagodas or £20,400 in India. His son brought it back to England, and the cut stone was sold to Philippe II, Duke of Orléans for £135,000, becoming one of the crown jewels of France and the genesis of the Pitt fortune.

Father of Thomas PItt, Earl of Londonderry; father-in-law to James Stanhope, Earl Stanhope and Viscount Stanhope of Mahon who served as First Lord of the Treasury; grandfather to William Pitt (the elder), 1st Earl of Chatham, and great-grandfather to William Pitt (the younger), who served as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.

He was married in 1679/80 to Jane Innes and they had at least 4 sons and 2 daughters.^[1]

1. Robert Pitt d. 20 May 1727
2. Thomas Pitt (twin), 1st Earl of Londonderry
3. William (twin) d. infant
4. John b. 1698 d.1754
5. Essex m. Charles Cholmondeley c. 1714
6. Lucy Pitt b. 1692, d. 1722/23

^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ http://thepeerage.com/p2877.htm#i28763
2. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Pitt

• The Annual Biography and Obituary (1817) Vol. 1, Page 185
• History of Parliament online: PITT, Thomas (1653-1726), of Stratford, Wilts. and Boconnoc, Cornw.