Sir Thomas Metcalfe, 1st Baronet

Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baronet (8 January 1745 - 17 November 1813) was a British soldier and politician.^[1]

Metcalfe was the son of the Rev. Thomas Metcalfe, a chaplain in the British Army, and his wife Margaret Williams.^[2] Metcalfe was born at Throstle Nest, Gisborough, Cleveland, England. He served as an officer in the army of the East India Company having first traveled to India in 1767, eventually becoming a major in the Bengal Army.^[3] He was a Director of the East India Company intermittently between 1789 and 1812, and gained a considerable personal fortune. He purchased the manors of Chilton and Ferne Hill in Berkshire, and became the Member of Parliament for Abingdon in 1796. He was a Tory and sat for the seat until his defeat at the 1807 general election. Most of his contributions in the Commons related to India and its administration. On 21 December 1802 he was created a baronet, of Chilton in the County of Berkshire in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.^[4] He was High Sheriff of Berkshire in 1809.

Metcalfe married Susannah Selina Sophia Debonnaire on 18 April 1782, and together they had eight children:

• Sir Theophilus John Metcalfe, 2nd Baronet
• Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe (1785–1846)
• Louisa Sophia Metcalfe (1787-?)
• Selina Sophia Metcalfe (1788–1791)
• Emily Theophila Metcalfe (1790-1885)
• Georgiana Theophila Metcalfe
• Sir Thomas Metcalfe, 4th Baronet (1795-1853)
• Henry Theophilus Metcalfe

References

1. Sir Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe, 1st Baronet (1745-1813). British Library.
2. Robert Henry O'Byrne, The representative history of Great Britain and Ireland, comprising biographical and genealogical notices of the members of parliament from 1 Edward vi., 1547 to 10 Victoria, 1847 (1848), 172-3.
3. Robert Henry O'Byrne, The representative history of Great Britain and Ireland, comprising biographical and genealogical notices of the members of parliament from 1 Edward vi., 1547 to 10 Victoria, 1847 (1848), 172-3.
4. Robert Henry O'Byrne, The representative history of Great Britain and Ireland, comprising biographical and genealogical notices of the members of parliament from 1 Edward vi., 1547 to 10 Victoria, 1847 (1848), 172-3.