Thomas Dawson, 1st Viscount Cremorne

Thomas Dawson, 1st Viscount Cremorne was an Irish landowner and politician from County Monaghan.

Biography

He was born on 25 February 1725, the first surviving son of Richard Dawson of Dawson Grove, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam. He represented County Monaghan in the Irish House of Commons from 1749 to 1768, and on 28 May 1770 was raised to the Irish House of Lords as Baron Dartrey of Dawson's Grove, being promoted to Viscount Cremorne on 19 June 1785.

Cremorne was married on 15 August 1754, at St Martin-in-the-Fields, to Anne (baptised 25 May 1733), youngest daughter of Thomas Fermor, 1st Earl of Pomfret and his wife Henrietta Louisa, daughter of John Jeffreys, 2nd Baron Jeffreys. Lady Anne Dawson died at Castle Dawson on 1 March 1769 and was buried at Ematris, County Monaghan. Their only son, Richard, died at Cambridge on 3 March 1778.

Cremorne married secondly, on 8 May 1770, Philadelphia Hannah, daughter of Thomas Freame of Philadelphia by his wife Margaretta, daughter of William Penn. Their only surviving child, Thomas, died aged sixteen on 9 October 1787, and on 20 November 1797 Cremorne was created Baron Cremorne of Castle Dawson with a special remainder, failing the heirs male of his body, to his nephew Richard Dawson and the heirs male of his body.

Lord Cremorne was one of the largest landowners in Ireland, with an annual income from his estates of £8,000 in 1799. He died at Stanhope Street, Mayfair on 1 March 1813. The Viscountcy of Cremorne and the Barony of Dartrey became extinct, while the Barony of Cremorne was inherited by his great-nephew Richard Thomas Dawson. Lady Cremorne died aged eighty-five on 14 April 1826, also at Stanhope Street.