Sir Thomas Frankland, 3rd Baronet


Sir Thomas Frankland, 3rd Baronet, of Thirkleby in Yorkshire, was an English Whig politician who sat in the English and British House of Commons for over 30 years between 1708 and 1741.

Early life

Frankland was the eldest son of Sir Thomas Frankland, 2nd Baronet and Elizabeth Russell. He was admitted at Jesus College, Cambridge in 1700. Between 1704 and 1705 he travelled abroad in Italy and studied at Padua University in 1705. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March, 1707.

Political career

Frankland was elected Member of Parliament for Harwich at the 1708 general election and was returned unopposed in 1710. He was returned unopposed as MP for the family borough of Thirsk at the 1713 and 1715 general elections. In 1715 he was appointed to the post of Clerk of the Deliveries of the Ordnance which he held until 1722. He was returned unopposed for Thirsk at the 1722 general election and was appointed to the post of Commissioner of Revenue in 1724. He succeeded to the baronetcy on the death of his father on 30 October 1726. Returned again for Thirsk in 1727 he changed post to become a Member of the Board of Trade in 1728. In 1730 he became instead one of the Lords of the Admiralty. He was returned unopposed again at Thirsk at the 1734 and 1741 general elections.

Family and legacy

Frankland died on 17 April 1747. He had married twice. Firstly on 5 June 1715, he married Dinah Topham, daughter of Francis Topham of Agelthorpe, by whom he had two daughters:
His second wife was Sarah Moseley whom he married on 9 July 1741 She was 40 years his junior and was left all his property in his will. The will was contested and rejected as being made "while he was under undue influence and while of unsound mind". An earlier will left her the property only for life.
As he had no son, the baronetcy passed to his nephew, Charles, son of his brother Henry Frankland, Governor of Bengal.