Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham

English peer and politician

Lewis Watson

Earl of Rockingham
Coat of arms|
Reign| William III
Anne
George I
Successor| Lewis Watson, 2nd Earl of Rockingham
Other titles|

* Viscount Sondes
* Baron Throwley
* Baron Rockingham
* Baronet of Rockingham Castle

Born| 29 December 1655
Rockingham Castle
Baptised| 25 January 1656
Died| 19 March 1724(1724-03-19) (aged 68)
Buried| 1 April 1724
Rockingham church
Noble family| Watson
Spouse(s)| Lady Catherine Sondes
Issue|

* Edward Watson, Viscount Sondes
* George Watson
* Margaret Watson
* Mary Watson
* Arabella Watson

Father| Edward Watson, 2nd Baron Rockingham
Mother| Anne Wentworth
Occupation| politician

Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham (29 December 1655 – 19 March 1724) was an English peer and politician. He was the eldest son of Edward Watson, 2nd Baron Rockingham (1630 – 1689) and Anne Wentworth, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford.[1]

In 1681–1685, Watson was Whig Member of Parliament for Canterbury and for Higham Ferrers briefly in 1689, before having to leave the Commons on inheriting his father's barony that year.[1][2]

Lord Rockingham was Master of the Buckhounds in 1703–1705, Custos Rotulorum and Lord Lieutenant of Kent in 1705–1724, Vice-Admiral of Kent in 1705 and Deputy Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1705–1708. In 1714, he was created Earl of Rockingham.[3]

In July 1677, he married Lady Catherine Sondes (d. 1696), a daughter of George Sondes, 1st Earl of Feversham.[3][4] They had five surviving children:[5]

* Edward, styled Viscount Sondes (c. 1687 – Kensington, 20 March 1722), married on 21 March 1708 Lady Catherine Tufton (24 April 1693 – 13 February 1733), daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and Lady Catherine Cavendish, parents of the 2nd and 3rd Earls of Rockingham and Catherine Watson (d. April 1765), who married Edward Southwell and had Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford.
* Hon. George (24 May 1689 – 1735)
* Lady Margaret (1695–1751), married John Monson, 1st Baron Monson.
* Lady Mary (d. 1737), married Wray Saunderson.
* Lady Arabella, married Sir Robert Furnese, 2nd Baronet.

* Rockingham Castle, Northamptonshire, seat of the Watson family

* Memorial to Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham (d.1724) in St. Leonard's Church, Rockingham

His wife died on 21 March 1696 and was buried at Rockingham. He died on 19 march 1724 and was buried 1 April at Rockingham.[6] He was succeeded by his grandson, Lewis.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Cokayne 1949, p. 57.
2. ^ Henning 1983.
3. ^ a b c Cokayne 1949, pp. 57–58.
4. ^ Hasted 1798, pp. 38–50.
5. ^ Wise 1891, pp. 100–101.
6. ^ Cokayne 1949, p. 58.

## Sources

[edit]

* Cokayne, G. E. (1949). White, Geoffrey H. (ed.). The Complete Peerage, or a History of the House of Lords and all its Members from the Earliest Times. Vol. 11\. London: St Catherine Press. pp. 56–62.
* Hasted, Edward (1798). "Parishes". The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent. Vol. 7\. British History Online.
* Henning, Basil Duke (1983). "Watson, Hon. Lewis (1655-1724), of Rockingham Castle, Northants". In Henning, Basil Duke (ed.). The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690 - via History of Parliament Online.
* Wise, Charles (1891). Rockingham Castle and the Watsons. London: Elliot Stock. OCLC 902976023.

## External links

[edit]

* Rockingham Castle

Parliament of England

Preceded by

Edward Hales
Sir Thomas Hardres

|  Member of Parliament for Canterbury
1681–1685
With:  Vincent Denne | Succeeded by

Sir William Honywood, Bt
Henry Lee

Preceded by

Sir Rice Rudd, Bt

|  Member of Parliament for Higham Ferrers
1689  | Succeeded by

Thomas Andrew

Honorary titles
Preceded by

The Earl of Winchilsea

|  Lord Lieutenant of Kent
1705–1724  | Succeeded by

The Earl of Leicester

Custos Rotulorum and
Vice-Admiral of Kent
1705–1724  | Succeeded by

The Duke of Dorset

Peerage of Great Britain
New creation |  Earl of Rockingham
1714–1724  | Succeeded by

Lewis Watson

Peerage of England
Preceded by

Edward Watson

|  Baron Rockingham
1689–1724  | Succeeded by

Lewis Watson

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