Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Fermor, Thomas William

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
822335Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 18 — Fermor, Thomas William1889Gordon Goodwin

FERMOR, THOMAS WILLIAM, fourth Earl of Pomfret (1770–1833), general, second son of George, second earl of Pomfret, by Miss Anna Maria Drayton of Sunbury, Middlesex, was born 22 Nov. 1770. Early in 1791 he was appointed to an ensigncy in the 3rd guards. He served in Flanders in 1793, and was present at the battle of Famars, the sieges of Valenciennes and Dunkirk, and the battle of Lincelles. In 1794 he was promoted to a lieutenancy. He served in Ireland during the rebellion, and in the expedition to the Helder, where he took part in the several actions. On 16 March 1800 he was appointed to a company, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He served with the guards in the Peninsula until his promotion to the rank of major-general, 4 June 1813. For the battle of Salamanca he received a medal; and he was also a knight of the Portuguese order of the Tower and Sword, which he obtained permission to accept 11 May 1813. His last commission as lieutenant-general bore date 27 May 1825. He succeeded his brother George as fourth earl 7 April 1830. Pomfret, who was F.R.S. and F.S.A., died 29 June 1833. He married, 13 Jan. 1823, Amabel Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir Richard Borough, bart., by whom he left issue two sons and two daughters. Lady Pomfret married, secondly, in May 1834, William Thorpe, D.D., of Belgrave Chapel, Pimlico (Gent. Mag. new ser. ii. 101). He was succeeded by his eldest son, George William Richard, fifth earl, who died unmarried on 8 June 1867 (ib. 4th ser. iv. 105), when the earldom, barony, and baronetcy became extinct.

[Gent. Mag. vol. ciii. pt. ii. pp. 78–9; Collins's Peerage (Brydges), iv. 207; Burke's Extinct Peerage, 1883, p. 608.]

G. G.