Thomas Meredyth
Lieutenant-General Thomas Meredyth (or Meredith) was an Irish officer of the British Army.
Biography
The second son of Arthur Meredyth of Dollardstown in County Meath, Meredyth was originally intended for a legal career but joined the military instead; he served William III as a cavalry officer in Flanders during the Nine Years' War, in April 1691 being made Captain in the 3rd Horse, later 2nd Dragoon Guards.[1] He later became Lieutenant-Colonel,[2] and on 1 June 1701 was appointed Adjutant-General of the Forces[3] with promotion to the brevet rank of Colonel of Horse.[4]
In February 1702, he was appointed Colonel of the 37th Regiment of Foot in the expansion of the Army prior to the War of the Spanish Succession. The regiment was part of the force led by the Duke of Marlborough and Meredyth was promoted Brigadier-General after Blenheim in August 1704.[5] Now in command of a Brigade, he participated in the campaigns of 1705 and 1706, including the Moselle expedition and the forcing of the French lines at Eliksem and Neer-Hespen.
He was made Major-General in 1706, Governor of Tynemouth Castle on 20 February 1708, Lieutenant-General in 1709 as well as Colonel of the Royal_Scots_Fusiliers or 21st Foot in May 1710.[6] In December 1710 he was dismissed from all his positions for his opposition to the Tory Harley Ministry.[7]
When the Tories fell in 1714, Meredyth was reinstated and appointed Governor of Londonderry, member of the Irish Privy Council and Colonel of the 20th Regiment of Foot.[8][2] He died on 19 June 1719.
References
- ↑ Charles Dalton, English Army Lists and Commission Registers 1661–1714, vol. III (1896) p. 181.
- 1 2 Richard Cannon, Historical Record of the Twentieth, or the East Devonshire Regiment of Foot (1848) p. 62–63.
- ↑ Dalton, English Army Lists, vol. IV (1898) p. 264.
- ↑ Dalton, English Army Lists, vol. IV, p. 265.
- ↑ Cannon, Historical Record of the Twenty-First Regiment, or Royal North British Fusiliers (1849) p. 55.
- ↑ Dalton, English Army Lists, vol. VI (1904) p. 17.
- ↑ Dalton, English Army Lists, vol. VI, p. 98.
- ↑ Stuart Handley, MEREDYTH, Thomas (aft.1661-1719), of Chelsea, Mdx. in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1690-1715 (2002).
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Arthur Meredyth Francis Osborne |
Member of Parliament for Navan 1703–1713 With: Arthur Meredyth |
Succeeded by Henry Meredyth Nathaniel Preston |
| Preceded by Sir Arthur Shaen Sir James Jeffreys |
Member of Parliament for Lismore 1715–1719 With: Sir Arthur Shaen |
Succeeded by Sir Arthur Shaen Sir John Osborne |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Laurence Alcock Robert Orme |
Member of Parliament for Midhurst 1709–1710 With: Laurence Alcock |
Succeeded by Laurence Alcock Robert Orme |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Regiment raised |
Colonel of Meredyth's Regiment of Foot 1702–1710 |
Succeeded by William Windress |
| Preceded by Viscount Mordaunt |
Colonel of the North British Fuzileers 1710 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Orrery |
| Preceded by John Newton |
Colonel of Meredyth's Regiment of Foot 1714–1719 |
Succeeded by William Egerton |
| Court offices | ||
| Preceded by William Walsh |
Gentleman of the Horse 1708–1710 |
Succeeded by Conyers Darcy |