Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham
Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton Bt was a moderate English Whig politician and Member of Parliament for several constituencies. He is best remembered as father of two British prime ministers who, between them, served for 18 years as first minister. Pelham was born in Laughton, Sussex, the son of Sir John Pelham, 3rd Baronet and his wife Lucy Sidney. Pelham was educated at Tonbridge School and Christ Church, Oxford. He sat for East Grinstead from October 1678 until August 1679. In October 1679 he was returned for Lewes, serving until 1702 ; he subsequently chose to sit for Sussex, a seat he held until 1705.Personal life
On 26 November 1679 Pelham married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Sir William Jones, Attorney General from 1650 to 1679 and his wife Elizabeth Alleyn, with whom he had two daughters:
Pelham's wife Elizabeth died in October 1681. In 1686, he married Lady Grace Holles, with whom he had two sons and five daughters:
Both of Pelham's sons went on to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He served as a Lord Commissioner of the Treasury for three separate periods ; in 1706, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Pelham of Laughton.
