Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth, PC
(c.1627 – 3 November 1687) succeeded
to his family's estate
around Hewell Grange
near Redditch
in 1645, the same year he distinguished himself in the Battle of Naseby
. Hickman-Windsor impressed King Charles I
by relieving his garrison
at High Ercall
.
Upon the Restoration, the title of Baron Windsor
was called out of abeyance
in his favour, on 16 June 1660. From 1661 to 1663, he served as Governor of Jamaica.
He acquired the Navigation of the Warwickshire Avon
from James, Duke of York
and employed Andrew Yarranton
to restore Pershore
Sluice, thus restoring navigation from Tewkesbury
to Evesham
. He then sold two-thirds of the navigation above Evesham to Andrew Yarranton and others, who restored the navigation from there to Stratford-upon-Avon
. He and George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol
financed Andrew Yarranton's ultimately unsuccessful attempts to improve the River Salwarpe
and River Stour
to make them navigable.
On 6 December 1682, Windsor was created the first Earl of Plymouth
, a new creation with the previous title holder having been Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
(1675-1680). He was succeeded by his grandson Other Windsor
.
, on 12 May 1656. They had three children:
On 9 April 1668, he married, secondly, Ursula Widdrington, daughter of Sir Thomas Widdrington. They had six children:
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(c.1627 – 3 November 1687) succeeded
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
to his family's estate
Estate (house)
An estate comprises the houses and outbuildings and supporting farmland and woods that surround the gardens and grounds of a very large property, such as a country house or mansion. It is the modern term for a manor, but lacks the latter's now abolished jurisdictional authority...
around Hewell Grange
Hewell Grange
This article is about the Hewell Grange country house and estate. For Hewell Prison, see Hewell Hewell Grange is a country house in Tardebigge, Worcestershire, England....
near Redditch
Redditch
Redditch is a town and local government district in north-east Worcestershire, England, approximately south of Birmingham. The district had a population of 79,216 in 2005. In the 19th century it became the international centre for the needle and fishing tackle industry...
in 1645, the same year he distinguished himself in the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
. Hickman-Windsor impressed King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
by relieving his garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
at High Ercall
High Ercall
High Ercall, also known in the past as Ercall Magna, is a village in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The civil parish is still called Ercall Magna, and had a total population of 1,679 at the 2001 census. The parish also includes the villages of...
.
Upon the Restoration, the title of Baron Windsor
Baron Windsor
There have been several titles created in the name of Windsor.The first was that of Baron Windsor, in the Peerage of England, created by writ of summons in 1529 for Sir Andrew Windsor of Stanwell...
was called out of abeyance
Abeyance
Abeyance is a state of expectancy in respect of property, titles or office, when the right to them is not vested in any one person, but awaits the appearance or determination of the true owner. In law, the term abeyance can only be applied to such future estates as have not yet vested or possibly...
in his favour, on 16 June 1660. From 1661 to 1663, he served as Governor of Jamaica.
He acquired the Navigation of the Warwickshire Avon
River Avon, Warwickshire
The River Avon or Avon is a river in or adjoining the counties of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire in the Midlands of England...
from James, Duke of York
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
and employed Andrew Yarranton
Andrew Yarranton
Andrew Yarranton was an important English engineer in the 17th century who was responsible for making several rivers into navigable waterways.-Biography:...
to restore Pershore
Pershore
Pershore is a market town in Worcestershire, England, on the banks of the River Avon. Pershore is in the Wychavon district and is part of the West Worcestershire parliamentary constituency. At the 2001 census the population was 7,304...
Sluice, thus restoring navigation from Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury is a town in Gloucestershire, England. It stands at the confluence of the River Severn and the River Avon, and also minor tributaries the Swilgate and Carrant Brook...
to Evesham
Evesham
Evesham is a market town and a civil parish in the Local Authority District of Wychavon in the county of Worcestershire, England with a population of 22,000. It is located roughly equidistant between Worcester, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon...
. He then sold two-thirds of the navigation above Evesham to Andrew Yarranton and others, who restored the navigation from there to Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
. He and George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641 when he was raised to the House of Lords...
financed Andrew Yarranton's ultimately unsuccessful attempts to improve the River Salwarpe
River Salwarpe
The River Salwarpe is a river in Worcestershire, England. Rising near Bromsgrove, it passes Stoke Prior, Upton Warren, Wychbold, Droitwich . After Droitwich, it meets the River Severn, at Hawford, . Andrew Yarranton attempted unsuccessfully to make it navigable in the 1660s....
and River Stour
River Stour, Worcestershire
The Stour is a river flowing through the counties of Worcestershire, the West Midlands and Staffordshire in the West Midlands region of England. The Stour is a major tributary of the River Severn, and it is about in length...
to make them navigable.
On 6 December 1682, Windsor was created the first Earl of Plymouth
Earl of Plymouth
Earl of Plymouth is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation was in 1675 for Charles FitzCharles, illegitimate son of King Charles II by his mistress Catherine Pegge...
, a new creation with the previous title holder having been Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth was the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England, by Catherine Pegge. He had a sister called Catherine FitzCharles who became a nun. His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford in Essex, but they had no further children...
(1675-1680). He was succeeded by his grandson Other Windsor
Other Windsor, 2nd Earl of Plymouth
Other Windsor, 2nd Earl of Plymouth was a British peer, styled Lord Windsor from 1682 to 1687.The son of Other Windsor, Lord Windsor and Elizabeth Turvey, he succeeded his grandfather as Earl of Plymouth in 1687. On 12 April 1706, he was awarded a DCL by Oxford...
.
Family
He married, firstly, Anne Savile, daughter of Sir William Savile, 3rd BaronetSir William Savile, 3rd Baronet
Sir William Savile, 3rd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1640 and 1642. He fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil War and was killed in action....
, on 12 May 1656. They had three children:
- Lady Mary Windsor (d. 1694)
- Other Windsor, Lord Windsor (1659–1684)
- Ann Windsor (died in infancy)
On 9 April 1668, he married, secondly, Ursula Widdrington, daughter of Sir Thomas Widdrington. They had six children:
- Hon. Dixie Windsor (d. 1743)
- Hon. William Windsor (d. 1682)
- Brigadier Hon. Andrews Windsor, to whom his mother gave the Upper Avon Navigation
- Lady Ursula Windsor (d. 1737)
- Lady Elizabeth Windsor (d. 1736)
- Thomas Windsor, 1st Viscount Windsor of BlackcastleViscount WindsorViscount Windsor is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of Ireland in 1699 when the Hon. Thomas Windsor was made Viscount Windsor, of Blackcastle. He was the younger son of Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth, and notably represented Droitwich,...
(d. 1738), to whom his mother gave the Lower Avon Navigation