Peter Thellusson, 1st Baron Rendlesham
Peter Isaac Thellusson, 1st Baron Rendlesham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age |
| Died | September 16, 1808 (aged 46) |
| Occupation(s) | Merchant, banker, politician |
| Known for | Director of the Bank of England; Member of Parliament; Baron Rendlesham |
Peter Isaac Thellusson, 1st Baron Rendlesham (13 October 1761 – 16 September 1808) was a prominent British figure known for his roles in commerce, banking, and politics.
Early life
Thellusson entered the world on 13 October 1761 as the eldest child of Peter Thellusson, a prosperous London-based merchant, and his wife Ann Woodford. Among his siblings were Charles Thellusson, who represented Evesham in Parliament, and George Woodford Thellusson, who served as MP for Southwark, Tregony, and Barnstaple.
Originating from a Huguenot lineage that fled France to Geneva following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, Thellusson’s ancestry included notable figures such as his grandfather Isaac de Thellusson, who acted as Genevan ambassador to King Louis XV’s court. Additionally, his uncle George founded a banking enterprise in Paris. Upon the death of his father in 1797, the family’s holdings—comprising the Brodsworth estate, Plaistow Lodge in Kent, and plantations on Grenada and Montserrat—became central elements in the famous Thellusson will dispute.
His formal education commenced at Harrow School in 1774.
Career
Following his father’s passing, Thellusson took over the family enterprise and held a directorship at the Bank of England from 1787 until 1806. His military involvement included appointments as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the Rendlesham Volunteers in 1798 and Captain Commandant in 1803.
He represented multiple constituencies as a MP: Midhurst (1795–1796), Malmesbury (1796–1802), Castle Rising (1802–1806), and Bossiney (1807–1808). His parliamentary seat at Castle Rising was secured through connections with Lord Cholmondeley, a confidant of the Prince of Wales.
Thellusson purchased the Rendlesham estate for £51,400 and expanded his commercial ventures by acquiring shares in the East India Company.
Peerage
An ally of William Pitt the Younger, Thellusson pursued an Irish peerage under provisions linked to the Acts of Union 1800. Although technical complications concerning extinct titles initially delayed the process, he was ultimately ennobled as Baron Rendlesham of Rendlesham in Suffolk on 1 February 1806.
Personal life
On 14 June 1783, he married Elizabeth Eleanora Cornwall, daughter of John Cornwall, a merchant engaged in Russian trade. Together they had six sons and one daughter:
- John Thellusson, 2nd Baron Rendlesham (1785–1832), who married Mary Andalusia Dickens and subsequently Ann Sophia Tatnall.
- Hon. George Thellusson (1791–1813), Lieutenant with the 11th Dragoons; died at the Battle of Vitoria.
- Hon. Caroline Thellusson (1793–1862), spouse of Charles Crabb Boulton.
- William Thellusson, 3rd Baron Rendlesham (1798–1839), served as Vicar at Aldenham; married Lucy Pratt.
- Frederick Thellusson, 4th Baron Rendlesham (1798–1852), wed Elizabeth Charlotte Prescott.
- Hon. Edmund Thellusson (1799–1818), who tragically drowned in 1818.
- Hon. Arthur Thellusson (1801–1858), married Caroline Anna Maria Bethell-Codrington.
Lord Rendlesham passed away in September 1808 at age 46, leaving behind an estimated fortune valued at £400,000. His eldest son John succeeded him.