Thomas Pitt

For the fictional character in Anne Perry's novels, see Thomas Pitt (disambiguation).

Thomas Pitt (July 5, 1653 – April 28, 1726), born at Blandford Forum, Dorset, to a rector and his wife, was a British merchant involved in trade with India. He at first came into conflict with the British East India Company, however this was settled and the company appointed him governor of Fort St. George, Madras. He is known as "Diamond" Pitt for his purchase of and profit from an extraordinary diamond. Image File history File links Thomas_Pitt. ... Image File history File links Thomas_Pitt. ... July 5 is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 179 days remaining. ... Events February 2 - New Amsterdam (later renamed New York City) is incorporated. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... Events George Friderich Handel becomes a British subject. ... Map sources for Blandford Forum at grid reference ST881064 The town hall Blandford Forum, or Blandford is a town on the River Stour in Dorset, England. ... For other uses, see Dorset (disambiguation). ... Merchants function as professionals who deal with trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to produce profit. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intention of favouring trade privileges in India. ... An old 18 century sketch of the fort. ... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ...

In 1674, Pitt went to India, where he worked as an "interloper", trading in defiance of the British East India Company's legal monopoly on Indian trade. Upon his return to England he was fined £400. He then proceeded to buy the manor of Stratford and its surrounding borough Old Sarum. With that acquisition he gained a seat in the House of Commons. Pitt returned to India, and eventually was hired by the British East India Company. He bought out the ruler of the Carnatic in order to save Madras, his base of operations. Events February 19 - England and the Netherlands sign the Treaty of Westminster. ... Interloper is the name of a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe, a member of the Eternals who also joined the New Defenders. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intention of favouring trade privileges in India. ... Stratford originally meant ford in a Roman street and is the name of several places. ... Woodcut of Old Sarum as it was during its height Old Sarum is the site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury, England, with evidence of human habitation as early as 3000 BC. It sits on a hill about two miles (3km) north of modern Salisbury on the west side of... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... Carnatic may mean: Carnatic, a region of Southern India Carnatic music SS Carnatic, a shipwrecked steamer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ...

He was married in 1679 to an Anglo-Indian lady, Jane Innis, who was descendant from the Earls of Moray. He had 3 sons and 2 daughters. His eldest son, Robert, was father of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, often called "William Pitt, the Elder". His second son was created Thomas Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry. His third son John was a distinguished solider. His second daughter, Lucy married James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope. Thomas Pitt also had a grandson named Thomas Pitt through his older son Robert. Events January 24 - King Charles II of England disbands Parliament August 7 - The brigantine Le Griffon, which was commissioned by René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, is towed to the southern end of the Niagara River, to become the first ship to sail the upper Great Lakes. ... Anglo-Indians are persons who have descended from a mix of British and Indian parentage. ... The title Earl of Moray (pronounced Murry) has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland. ... The Right Honourable William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (15 November 1708–11 May 1778) was a British Whig statesman who achieved his greatest fame as war minister during the Seven Years War (aka French and Indian War) and who was later Prime Minister of Great Britain. ... Colonel the Right Honourable Thomas Innes Pitt, 1st Earl of Londonderry; born circa 1668, second son of Thomas Pitt, of Boconnoc, and an uncle of William Pitt the Elder. ... The title of Earl of Londonderry has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. ... James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope (c. ... Thomas Pitt of Boconnoc (died 17 July 1761) was the Lord Warden of the Stannaries until 1751, when the Cornish Stannary Parliament last met. ...

Pitt's diamond

Pitt is most famous for his purchase of a 410 carat (82 g) uncut diamond acquired from an Indian merchant named Jamchund in Madras in 1701. The merchant had purchased the diamond from an English sea captain, who had, in fact, stolen the diamond from a slave. The slave found the diamond in one of the Golkonda mines on the Kistna River and had concealed it inside of a large wound in his leg. According to another version the diamond was a stolen one which had formed an eye of some Hindu idol. Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ... Events January 18 - Frederick I becomes King of Prussia. ... Golconda is a ruined city, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. ... River Krishna passes through Sangli, Maharashtra The River Krishna (meaning dark (feminine) in Sanskrit, also called as Krishnaveni) is one of the longest rivers of India (about 1300 km in length). ...

Pitt bought the diamond for 48,000 pagodas or £20,400, and then sent it back to England in 1702 with his eldest son. For two years from 1704-1706, the jewler Harris labored in London to hew a 141 carat (28.2 g) cushion brilliant from the rough stone. Several secondary stones were produced from the cut that were sold to Peter the Great of Russia. After many attempts to sell it to various European royalty, including Louis XIV of France, Pitt and his sons went with the diamond to Calais in 1717. With John Law acting as agent, it was sold that year to the French regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans for £135,000, becoming one of the crown jewels of France. Today, "Le Régent" as it came to be known, remains in the French Royal Treasury at Louvre. It has been on display there since 1887. Events March 8 - William III died; Princess Anne Stuart becomes Queen Anne of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ... Peter I may mean: Peter I of Russia Peter I of Bulgaria Peter I of Serbia Peter I (the Cruel) of Castile Peter I of Cyprus Peter I of Portugal Peter I of Brazil (after, crowned as Pedro IV of Portugal) Peter I, Duke of Bourbon Peter I, Duke of... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: ) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a... // Events January 4 — The Netherlands, Britain & France sign Triple Alliance February 26-March 6 What is now the northeastern United States was paralyzed by a series of blizzards that buried the region. ... There have been a number of famous individuals named John Law: John Law (economist) John Law (sociologist) John Law (artistic pioneer) John Law is also the name of a single by the band Dropkick Murphys. ... Philippe of Orléans Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, Philippe Charles (August 2, 1674 – December 2, 1723) called Duke of Chartres (1674–1701), and then Duke of Orléans (1701–1723) was Regent of France from 1715 to 1723. ... Crown Jewels of France, on display at the Louvre The French Crown Jewels were the crowns, orbs, diadems and jewels that were the symbol of royalty and which were worn by many Kings and Queens of France. ... Regent Diamond Weight 140. ... The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre) in Paris, France, is the largest museum in the world. ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ...

Properties

With the money received for his famous diamond, he now began to consolidate his properties. Besides Mawarden Court at Stratford and the Down at Blandford, he acquired Boconnoc in Cornwall from Lord Mohun's widow in 1717, and subsequently Kynaston in Dorset, Bradock, Treskillard and Brannell in Cornwall, Woodyates on the border of Wiltshire, Abbot's Ann in Hampshire (where he rebuilt the church) and, subsequently his favourite residence, Swallowfield Park in Berkshire, where he passed away in 1726. Stratford originally meant ford in a Roman street and is the name of several places. ... Cornish Flag Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county in South West England on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar. ... Charles Mohun painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller. ... // Events January 4 — The Netherlands, Britain & France sign Triple Alliance February 26-March 6 What is now the northeastern United States was paralyzed by a series of blizzards that buried the region. ... For other uses, see Dorset (disambiguation). ... Cornish Flag Cornwall (Cornish: Kernow) is a county in South West England on the peninsula that lies to the west of the River Tamar. ... Wiltshire (abbreviated Wilts) is a large southern English county. ... Hampshire (abbr. ... Swallowfield - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Berkshire (IPA: or  ; sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a county in England and forms part of the South East England region. ... Events George Friderich Handel becomes a British subject. ...

Sources

• Moore, Gloria. The Anglo-Indian Vision, 1986.
• Palmer, R.R., et al. A History of the Modern World, 2004.

External links

• Royal Berkshire History: Thomas 'Diamond' Pitt