Thomas Erle
| Thomas Erle | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1650 England |
| Died |
23 July 1720 (aged 70) England |
| Buried at | Charborough, Dorset |
| Allegiance |
|
| Service/branch | Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Wyndham |
| Other work | Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset, Governor of Portsmouth, MP, Commander-in-Chief (Ireland), Lord Justice (Ireland), PC |
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Lieutenant-General Thomas Erle PC (1650 – 23 July 1720) was an English army general and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England and of Great Britain from 1678 to 1718. He was Governor of Portsmouth and a Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance.
Life
Erle was born in 1650, the second son of Thomas Erle and his wife Susanna (née Fiennes) of Charborough, Dorset. In 1678 he became Member of Parliament (MP) for Wareham, then on 27 May 1685 was made Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset.
In 1686 he hosted a group of conspirators who met at Charborough House to plan the overthrow of "the tyrant race of Stuarts". This meeting lead to the Invitation to William, signed by the Immortal seven, and resulting in the Glorious Revolution.
Erle was the colonel of a foot regiment and on 8 March 1689 was sent to Ireland to fight the combined French and Irish Army of the deposed King James II of England.
In 1690 he took part in the Battle of the Boyne, the Siege of Limerick, and, the following year, the Battle of Aughrim. In 1692 he took part in an expedition to Flanders and on 3 August 1692 was Colonel of the former Luttrell's Regiment at the Battle of Steenkerque. Henceforth the regiment he raised in 1689 became the 2nd Battalion of the former Luttrell's Regiment, later the Green Howards. In 1693 Thomas Erle was promoted to Brigadier-General, fighting in the Battle of Landen on 22 March 1693.
In 1694 Erle returned home as Governor of Portsmouth, a position which he held until 1712. In 1696 he was made a Major-General. In 1698 he became MP for Portsmouth.
In 1699 Erle returned to Ireland as second in command to Lord Galway, In 1700 he was both MP for Portsmouth once again and also Commander-in-Chief of Ireland.
In 1702 Erle was made a Lord Justice of Ireland and was MP for Wareham for a second time, then promoted to Lieutenant-General. In 1703, he became MP for Cork City in the Irish Parliament and held this seat until 1713. In 1705 Erle was made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, a post which he held until 1712.
In January 1707 Erle took part in an expedition to Spain, fighting in the Battle of Almanza on 23 April 1707 — some reports state that he lost his right hand. In 1708 he was sent on an expedition to France. He then returned home, serving as MP for Wareham once again. In 1714, following the death of Queen Anne, Erle was appointed Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance for a second time. The same year he was also made Governor of Portsmouth, replacing Lord North and Grey, whose loyalty to the new king was in doubt. From 1715 until 1718 he was Father of the House.
Family
Erle married Elizabeth Wyndham, with a single child:
- Frances, who married Edward Ernle and died 14 May 1728
Erle died on 23 July 1720 and was buried at Charborough.
References
| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Pitt Robert Culliford |
Member of Parliament for Wareham 1679–1698 With: George Savage 1679–1685 George Ryves 1685–1689 Thomas Skinner 1689–1690 William Okeden 1690–1695 Thomas Trenchard 1695–1698 |
Succeeded by Thomas Trenchard George Pitt |
| Preceded by Nicholas Hedger Matthew Aylmer |
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth 1698–1702 With: Sir George Rooke |
Succeeded by Sir George Rooke John Gibson |
| Preceded by Thomas Trenchard George Pitt |
Member of Parliament for Wareham 1701 With: George Pitt |
Succeeded by George Pitt Sir Edward Ernle, Bt |
| Preceded by George Pitt Sir Edward Ernle, Bt |
Member of Parliament for Wareham 1701–1707 With: George Pitt 1701–1702, 1705–1707 Sir Josiah Child, Bt 1702–1704 Sir Edward Ernle, Bt 1704–1705 |
Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain |
| Preceded by Sir George Rooke John Gibson |
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth 1702 With: Sir George Rooke |
Succeeded by Sir George Rooke William Gifford |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Parliament of England |
Member of Parliament for Wareham 1707–1718 With: George Pitt 1707–1710, 1713–1715 Sir Edward Ernle, Bt 1710–1713 George Pitt, Jnr. 1715–1718 |
Succeeded by George Pitt, Jnr. Henry Drax |
| Preceded by Sir George Rooke William Gifford |
Member of Parliament for Portsmouth 1708 With: George Churchill |
Succeeded by George Churchill Sir Thomas Littleton, Bt |
| Preceded by Sir Richard Onslow |
Father of the House 1715–1718 |
Succeeded by Edward Vaughan |
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
| Preceded by Alan Brodrick Robert Rogers |
Member of Parliament for Cork City 1703–1713 With: Alan Brodrick 1703–1710 Edward Hoare 1710–1713 |
Succeeded by Edward Hoare St John Brodrick |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Francis Luttrell |
Colonel of Thomas Erle's Regiment of Foot 1691–1712 |
Succeeded by George Freke |
| Preceded by Thomas Tollemache |
Governor of Portsmouth 1694–1712 |
Succeeded by The Lord North |
| Preceded by The Lord Granville |
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance 1705–1712 |
Succeeded by John Hill |
| Preceded by John Hill |
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance 1714–1718 |
Succeeded by Thomas Micklethwait |
| Preceded by The Lord North |
Governor of Portsmouth 1714–1718 |
Succeeded by Charles Wills |
|