Thomas Wildman
Encyclopedia
Colonel Thomas Wildman (1787 - 1859) was an officer
in the Napoleonic Wars
, a draftsman
, and landowner. He was a nephew of the political reformer John Horne Tooke
and friend of Lord Byron at Harrow
. In 1816 he married Louisa Preisig. They had no children.
Wildman purchased a Cornetcy in the 7th Light Dragoons in 1808 and later the same year he was promoted Lieutenant
without purchase. At the Battle of Waterloo
he was an extra aide-de-camp
to Lord Uxbridge
. His letter after the battle described Uxbridge's wounding at the end of the battle (grapeshot
to the knee) and the subsequent amputation. Wildman himself was slightly wounded in the battle. In 1816 he purchased a Major
ity in the 2nd West India Regiment, and later transferred to the 9th Light Dragoons. In 1828 he became Captain
of the Mansfield
Troop
of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry and a few months later became Major-Commandant of the Sherwood Rangers. He was promoted Colonel
in the Army in 1837. In 1840 he transferred to be Lieutenant-Colonel of the 5th Dragoon Guards
.
The Wildman family had obtained Quebec Estate, a large sugar plantation in Jamaica, from William Beckford
, who was having financial problems
. The wealth generated from this plantation provided Wildman with the means to purchase Newstead Abbey
in 1818 for £94,000. The Abbey was owned by his friend and old schoolmate Lord Byron who, like Beckford, was having financial difficulties. Byron had been trying to sell the Abbey since 1812. Of the sale, Byron's half-sister Augusta
said Wildman had "soul enough to value the dear Abbey..."
Although Wildman's purchase ended almost four centuries of Byron family ownership of the Abbey, he was considered to be the man who saved Byron's home. He spent £100,000 restoring it, hiring the architect John Shaw
to make improvements. He also amassed a large collection of Byron memorabilia there.
The Wildmans entertained many guests who wished to visit the home of Lord Byron, including Franz Liszt
and Washington Irving
. The Duke of Sussex
visited annually for a six-week holiday with his chaplain. After Wildman's death, Louisa sold the Abbey to William Frederick Webb
.
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, a draftsman
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
, and landowner. He was a nephew of the political reformer John Horne Tooke
John Horne Tooke
John Horne Tooke was an English politician and philologist.-Early life and work:He was born in Newport Street, Long Acre, Westminster, the third son of John Horne, a poulterer in Newport Market. As a youth at Eton College, Tooke described his father to friends as a "turkey merchant"...
and friend of Lord Byron at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. In 1816 he married Louisa Preisig. They had no children.
Wildman purchased a Cornetcy in the 7th Light Dragoons in 1808 and later the same year he was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
without purchase. At the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
he was an extra aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Lord Uxbridge
Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey
Field Marshal Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey, KG, GCB, GCH, PC , styled Lord Paget between 1784 and 1812 and known as The Earl of Uxbridge between 1812 and 1815, was a British military leader and politician, now chiefly remembered for leading the charge of the heavy cavalry against...
. His letter after the battle described Uxbridge's wounding at the end of the battle (grapeshot
Grapeshot
In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of shot that is not a one solid element, but a mass of small metal balls or slugs packed tightly into a canvas bag. It was used both in land and naval warfare. When assembled, the balls resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name...
to the knee) and the subsequent amputation. Wildman himself was slightly wounded in the battle. In 1816 he purchased a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
ity in the 2nd West India Regiment, and later transferred to the 9th Light Dragoons. In 1828 he became Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
of the Mansfield
Mansfield
Mansfield is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the main town in the Mansfield local government district. Mansfield is a part of the Mansfield Urban Area....
Troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry and a few months later became Major-Commandant of the Sherwood Rangers. He was promoted Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
in the Army in 1837. In 1840 he transferred to be Lieutenant-Colonel of the 5th Dragoon Guards
5th Dragoon Guards
The 5th Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1922....
.
The Wildman family had obtained Quebec Estate, a large sugar plantation in Jamaica, from William Beckford
William Beckford
William Beckford may refer to:* William Beckford , English businessman, often called "Alderman Beckford", father of William Thomas* William Beckford of Somerley , Jamaican slave-owner and writer...
, who was having financial problems
Fonthill Abbey
Fonthill Abbey — also known as Beckford's Folly — was a large Gothic revival country house built around the turn of the 19th century at Fonthill Gifford in Wiltshire, England, at the direction of William Thomas Beckford and architect James Wyatt...
. The wealth generated from this plantation provided Wildman with the means to purchase Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
in 1818 for £94,000. The Abbey was owned by his friend and old schoolmate Lord Byron who, like Beckford, was having financial difficulties. Byron had been trying to sell the Abbey since 1812. Of the sale, Byron's half-sister Augusta
Augusta Leigh
Augusta Maria Byron, later Augusta Maria Leigh , styled "The Honourable" from birth, was the only daughter of John "Mad Jack" Byron, the poet Lord Byron's father, by his first wife, Amelia Osborne .-Early...
said Wildman had "soul enough to value the dear Abbey..."
Although Wildman's purchase ended almost four centuries of Byron family ownership of the Abbey, he was considered to be the man who saved Byron's home. He spent £100,000 restoring it, hiring the architect John Shaw
John Shaw Sr.
John Shaw, Senior, was an architect related to the Shaw and Hardwick family and one of the first architects to draw up plans for semi-detached housing in London....
to make improvements. He also amassed a large collection of Byron memorabilia there.
The Wildmans entertained many guests who wished to visit the home of Lord Byron, including Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt ; ), was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, pianist, conductor, and teacher.Liszt became renowned in Europe during the nineteenth century for his virtuosic skill as a pianist. He was said by his contemporaries to have been the most technically advanced pianist of his age...
and Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
. The Duke of Sussex
Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex
The Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex , was the sixth son of George III of the United Kingdom and his consort, Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. He was the only surviving son of George III who did not pursue an army or naval career.- Early life :His Royal Highness The Prince Augustus...
visited annually for a six-week holiday with his chaplain. After Wildman's death, Louisa sold the Abbey to William Frederick Webb
William Frederick Webb
William Frederick Webb was one of four children born to Frederick Webb and Mary Shiel. He was educated at Eton and later joined the army. During his time in the army, he became a Captain in the 17th Lancers...
.