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Thomas Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton


portrait of Thomas Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton

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(b. Jan. 30, 1744, Hagley Hall, Hagley, Worcestershire – d. Nov. 29, 1779, Hill Street, Mayfair, London )

Gender: M

Thomas Lyttelton, 2nd Baron Lyttelton (1744-1779), was the son of Lord George Lyttelton and Lucy Fortescue. He succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Lyttelton in 1773. Known as “naughty Tom” or “the bad Lord Lyttelton”, he was a gambler, a drinker and a womaniser, and was estranged from his father. He was a friend of the Prince of Wales (later George IV) and MP for Bewdley from 1768 to 1769, but was removed for bribery. In order to pay his gambling debts, on 26th June 1772 he married Apphia Peach, the wealthy widow of the Governor of Calcutta, who was thirteen years his senior and had been his mistress for some time; but within six months the couple separated, and he eloped to Paris with a barmaid for a wager of a hundred guineas. After his father’s death, he obtained the sinecure post of Chief Justice of Eyre, and became a privy councillor. He died suddenly on 27th November 1779 and it was reported that three nights before he had seen an apparition that prophesied his death. He left no issue, and the Barony was revived in 1794 for his father’s brother William Lyttelton.

Also known as:

  • Thomas Lyttelton
  • 2nd Baron Lyttelton

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Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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