Thomas Tollemache
Encyclopedia
Thomas Tollemache (c. 1651 – 1694) was an English
soldier; the second son of Sir Lionel Tollemache
of Helmingham
, Suffolk
and his wife, Elizabeth, 2nd Countess of Dysart
.
In 1678 he became captain in the Guards, with which he served in Tangier
; in 1685 he was made lieutenant-colonel of a regiment of fusilier
s, but gave up his commission shortly after the accession of James II
.
Tollemache abandoned King James in favour of the Protestant William of Orange
who, in 1688 successfully usurped the English throne during the Glorious Revolution
. For his services to William, now King William III, he was made governor of Portsmouth and colonel of the Coldstream Guards
; in 1689 he was chosen an English member of parliament.
He served with his regiment during the War of the Grand Alliance
, seeing action at the Battle of Walcourt
in August 1689. In 1691, he served in Ireland, with the rank of major-general, gaining fame at the Battle of Aughrim
and at the sieges of Athlone, Galway
and Limerick
. In the Netherlands he added to his high reputation with his conduct at the battles of Steenkirk
and Neerwinden
.
In 1694 Tollemache proposed, and led, an expedition against the French port of Brest
. The French however, had gained intelligence of the proposed attack and had reinforced the garrison and strengthened the port's defences. Although he led the English troops with great gallantry, they were beaten off with heavy losses. Tollemache, himself wounded, succumbed to his injuries, later dying in Plymouth
in June 1694. He was buried in the church of St Mary's, Helmingham
, Suffolk
.
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
soldier; the second son of Sir Lionel Tollemache
Lionel Tollemache
Sir Lionel Tollemache 3rd Baronet of Helmingham was the head of a powerful East Anglian family whose seat was Helmingham Hall in Suffolk, England...
of Helmingham
Helmingham Hall
Helmingham Hall is a moated manor house in Helmingham, Suffolk, England. It was begun by John Tollemache in 1480 and has been owned by the Tollemache family ever since. The house is built around a courtyard in typical late medieval/Tudor style....
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
and his wife, Elizabeth, 2nd Countess of Dysart
Elizabeth Maitland, Duchess of Lauderdale
Elizabeth Maitland, Duchess of Lauderdale was an influential British noblewoman. She is famous for the political influence she held, which was unusual for women of the period, and for her support of Charles II during his exile as a member of the secret organisation known as the Sealed Knot.-Early...
.
In 1678 he became captain in the Guards, with which he served in Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
; in 1685 he was made lieutenant-colonel of a regiment of fusilier
Fusilier
Fusilier was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later developed into a regimental designation.-History:...
s, but gave up his commission shortly after the accession of James II
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...
.
Tollemache abandoned King James in favour of the Protestant William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
who, in 1688 successfully usurped the English throne during the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
. For his services to William, now King William III, he was made governor of Portsmouth and colonel of the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
; in 1689 he was chosen an English member of parliament.
He served with his regiment during the War of the Grand Alliance
War of the Grand Alliance
The Nine Years' War – often called the War of the Grand Alliance, the War of the Palatine Succession, or the War of the League of Augsburg – was a major war of the late 17th century fought between King Louis XIV of France, and a European-wide coalition, the Grand Alliance, led by the Anglo-Dutch...
, seeing action at the Battle of Walcourt
Battle of Walcourt
The Battle of Walcourt was fought on 25 August 1689 during the Nine Years' War. The action took place near the ancient walled town of Walcourt near Charleroi in the Spanish Netherlands, and brought to a close a summer of uneventful marching, manoeuvring, and foraging...
in August 1689. In 1691, he served in Ireland, with the rank of major-general, gaining fame at the Battle of Aughrim
Battle of Aughrim
The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691 , near the village of Aughrim in County Galway....
and at the sieges of Athlone, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
and Limerick
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
. In the Netherlands he added to his high reputation with his conduct at the battles of Steenkirk
Battle of Steenkerque
The Battle of Steenkerque was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years' War. It resulted in the victory of the French under Marshal François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg against a joint English-Scottish-Dutch-German army under Prince William of Orange...
and Neerwinden
Battle of Landen
The Battle of Landen , in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the Nine Years' War, fought in present-day Belgium on 29 July 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England...
.
In 1694 Tollemache proposed, and led, an expedition against the French port of Brest
Attack on Brest
The Battle of Camaret was an amphibious landing at Camaret Bay on 18 June 1694 by the English and Dutch in an attempt to seize the French port of Brest and destroy part of the French fleet stationed there, as part of the Nine Years' War...
. The French however, had gained intelligence of the proposed attack and had reinforced the garrison and strengthened the port's defences. Although he led the English troops with great gallantry, they were beaten off with heavy losses. Tollemache, himself wounded, succumbed to his injuries, later dying in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in June 1694. He was buried in the church of St Mary's, Helmingham
Helmingham
Helmingham is a village in Suffolk, England, 12 miles east of Stowmarket, and 12 miles north of Ipswich. It has a population of 170. It retains the same name by which it was recorded in Domesday....
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.