Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham
Lewis Watson, 1st Earl of Rockingham was an English peer and politician.
Rockingham was the eldest son of Edward Watson, 2nd Baron Rockingham and his wife, the former Lady Anne Wentworth, daughter of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford. In 1677, he married Lady Catherine Sondes, a daughter of George Sondes, 1st Earl of Feversham. They had five surviving children:
- Edward, styled Viscount Sondes, married on 21 March 1708 Lady Catherine Tufton, daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and Lady Catherine Cavendish, parents of the 2nd and 3rd Earls of Rockingham and Catherine Watson, who married Edward Southwell and had Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford.
- Lady Margaret, married John Monson, 1st Baron Monson.
- Hon. George
- Lady Mary, married Wray Saunderson.
- Lady Arabella, married Sir Robert Furnese, 2nd Baronet.
In 1681–1685, Watson was Whig Member of Parliament for Canterbury and for Higham Ferrers briefly in 1689, before having to leave the Commons on inheriting his father's barony that year.
Lord Rockingham was Master of the Buckhounds in 1703–1705, Custos Rotulorum and Lord Lieutenant of Kent in 1705–1724, Vice-Admiral of Kent in 1705 and Deputy Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1705–1708. In 1714, he was created Earl of Rockingham and on his death in 1724, his titles passed to his grandson, Lewis.
