Thomas Burgh of Gainsborough

For other Thomas Burghs, see Thomas Burgh.
Sir Thomas Burgh
1st Baron Burgh of Gainsborough
Bornc. 1431
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, England
Died18 March 1496(1496-03-18) (aged 64–65)
BuriedGainsborough, Lincolnshire, England
Spouse(s)Margaret de Ros
IssueEdward Burgh
Thomas Burgh
Margaret Burgh
Elizabeth Burgh
Anne Burgh
FatherThomas Burgh
MotherElizabeth Percy

Sir Thomas Burgh KG (/ˈbʌrə/ BURR-ə; c. 1431 – 18 March 1496) was an English gentleman.

In records, the peerage, and genealogy books he is shown as being created 1st Lord Burgh, of Gainsborough {England by writ} on 1 September 1487. He was several times summoned to Parliament, but never sat; whether he held a hereditary peerage is not clear; fifteenth century records treat him as a knight. His son was never summoned to Parliament (because he was found insane in 1510); his grandson was summoned and sat in the House of Lords, but sixteenth century records treat this as a new creation in 1529 after the death of his father. When the Burgh peerage was drawn out of abeyance in 1916, however, it was given precedence as of 1487. He had noble ancestors on both sides: his mother was one of the daughters of Sir Henry Percy, who was in turn grandson to Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and to David of Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, descended from the ancient Mormaers of Atholl.[1]

The Burgh family sprang from Hubert de Burgh, younger son of Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent, and his wife Beatrice de Warrenne, daughter of William de Warrenne, Lord of Wormegay, and Beatrice de Pierrepont.[2] The Burghs were rich, flamboyant and powerful people. Thomas was in great favour with the King as many offices, positions, land grants, and pensions were bestowed upon him.

  1. ^ Complete Peerage, Vol. II, pp. 422–3; Vol. IV, App. H. The normal requirements for recognition of a barony by writ are that a man receive a writ for a valid Parliament (one including the Commons) and that he sit by virtue of that writ.
  2. ^ Sir Bernard Burke. A genealogical history of the dormant, abeyant, forfeited, and extinct peerages of the British empire. Harrison, 1866. p. 90.