Sir George Thomas 3rd Bart.

Father of Sir William Lewis George Thomas 4th bart (q.v.) and grandson of Sir George Thomas 1st bart., who disinherited him 'on account of his marriage with a foreign woman.' He retained estates in Antigua under his father's marriage settlement. MP for Arundel 1790-1797.

1. A memorial inscription in St Mary Magdalene Church, Madehurst, West Sussex, England, records: "In a grave beneath are deposited the Remains of ROQUE FERDINAND a Native of the ISLAND of BONAVISTA who died May 7. 1789 Aged 67. He came to England with SIR GEORGE THOMAS BART late GOVERNOR of the LEWARD ISLANDS and served him and his succeeding Family with unremitted Zeal Affection and Honesty Fifty two Years. This Stone is erected as a Token of Regard and in Commemoration of his Worth by SIR GEORGE THOMAS A: D: 1789." Roque Ferdinand had been manumitted and bequeathed an annuity in the will of Sir George Thomas 1st bart.

2. In the will of Sir George Thomas of [Dale Park] Madehurst proved 07/06/1815 he added to the provisions of his marriage settlement (which provided £600 p.a. secured on his estates in Antigua and a further £150 p.a. secured on the Madehurst estate) to provide for a total annuity of £1200 p.a. to his widow Sophia. Subject to this and some minor monetary legacies, his estates passed to his son Sir William Lewis George Thomas.

1. Rachel Stone, 'Black slavery and rural Britain', https://magistraetmater.wordpress.com/2019/10/28/black-slavery-and-rural-britain/ [accessed 07/09/2020].

2. M.H. Port, 'Thomas, Sir George 3rd bart. (c. 1748-1815) of Dale Park nr Arundel Sussex,http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/thomas-sir-george-1748-1815 [accessed 07/03/2015]. According to this entry Sir George Thomas sold his 'Antiguan estate' for £22,000 in 1802.

We are grateful to Rachel Stone for her assistance with compiling this entry.