Thomas Wilson


1725	Sept 25th	Thomas Wilson was baptised at Beetham, Westmoreland, England; the third son of Daniel Wilson of Dallam Tower. [See Note 1]
1742	Apr 19th	Joined Gray's Inn, London, to train as a barrister. [See Note 2]
1747	July 1st	Called to the Bar.
1751-2		Married Lucinda Holt at Pontefract, Yorkshire.
1752	Nov 14th	1st child Lucinda baptised at Redgrave.
1754	Jan 28th	2nd child Daniel baptised at Redgrave.
1755	Oct 17th	3rd child Thomas baptised at Redgrave.
1756	March 4th	4th child George born at Redgave, and baptised 5th March.
1761		5th child Isabella born at the nearby village of Rickinghall.
1764	May 31st	Elected a Bencher at Gray's Inn.
1770		Known to have been Chief Steward to Rowland Holt. [See Note 3]
1773	Oct 27th	Appointment as Chief Justice of Dominica in the West Indies confirmed. [See Note 4]
1777	Sept 3rd	Appointed Judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty. [See Note 5]
1779		Asked to be transferred to other employment or to be allowed to return home. [See Note 6]
1782	May	His eldest son Daniel was killed in the American War of Independence.
c.1786		Isabella married Captain Henry Grove of Dominica (d.1788). [See Note 7]
1791		Recorded in the 'Gentleman's Magazine' as residing at Pontefract, Yorkshire, the Late HM Chief Justice in Dominica.
1792	Oct 11th	His wife Lucinda died and was buried at Pontefract.
1799	Aug	His son George inherited Redgrave Estate from his maternal uncle Thomas Holt, and on the 22nd Aug married Catherine Pollard.
1801	Nov 24th	His daughter Lucinda married Thomas Raven. [See Note 8]
1808	Nov 19th	Died at Camberwell, Surrey.

From material collected by Daniel Shaw Holt-Wilson, c.1965.

NOTES
1	Beetham was the parish church for Dallam Tower, the Wilson family home. See Links below.
2	Nearly all the records for Gray's Inn were destroyed in the Second World War, however the Register shows that Thomas Wilson, 3rd son of Daniel Wilson MP of Dalham Tower joined the Inn on 19th April 1742. There is also an entry in the Pension Book for 1st July 1747 saying "Thomas Wilson and John Pennington called to the Bar". A later entry in the same book shows that on 31st may 1764 Thomas Wilson was elected a Bencher, or, to use the full title, a Master of the Bench of Gray's Inn. This is a very great honour and is only accorded to distinguished members of the profession. For some reason which is not apparent he never took his seat as a bencher.
3	In a document for the Manors of Redgrave with Botesdale and Gislingham, of which Rowland Holt was Lord, dated 30th May 1770, Thomas Wilson is quoted as the Chief Steward and Thomas Slapp, Gent, as Deputy Steward.
4	A despatch dated 27th Oct 1773 from Lord Dartmouth, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to Lieutenant Stuart, Dominica, confirmed the appointment of Thomas Wilson as Chief Justice. See also Note 6 below.
5	Wilson was appointed Judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty on on Sept 3rd 1777 in succession to Mr Alec Stuart who had been suspended.
6	Wilson wrote to the Secretary of State complaining about his poverty and loss of fortune, and asked to be transferred to other employment, or to be allowed to return home. In a footnote to his letter he said that his appointment as Chief Justice was the result of a recommendation by the Duke of Grafton to Lord Hillsborough waho was Lord Dartmouth's predecessor.
7	Henry Grove was a Captain of Infantry, Collector of Customs and one of HM's Most Honourable Privy Council of Dominica. His Will is dated 10th April 1786, and proved 10th Oct 1788.
8	William Raven of Hackney, Middlesex, and 6 Brook Street, Bath, Somerset. Captain RN; Elder Brother of Trinity House (1806). Died 14th Aug aged 57 at Camberwell, Surrey. In his Will he left his freehold house at Bath, to his wife Lucinda, and on her decease to Susan Downing Raven. He also left his house, stable and other premises at Hackney to his wife, and after her death to his daughter Susan. He was godfather to Susan Mary Wilson, baptised 18th June 1809.


LINKS
For more on the history of the Dallam Tower area, including a mention of the Wilsons in the 17th Century, see http://www.pinfold.com/casterton/history.htm