Thomas Lister (British politician, born 1723)

Thomas Lister (19 January 1723 – 29 November 1761), of Gisburne Park, Yorkshire, was an English landowner and Tory politician who represented Clitheroe in the House of Commons from 1745 until his death in 1761.^[1]

Early life and education

Lister was the eldest son of Thomas Lister of Gisburne Park and Catherine Assheton, daughter and coheiress of Sir Ralph Assheton, 2nd Baronet, of Whalley Abbey.^[1] His mother died in 1728.

He was educated at Westminster School beginning in 1736 and entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1742.^[2]

Career

For most of the 18th century, the Listers and the Curzons of Gopsall Hall jointly controlled the borough of Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.^[1]

His father represented Clitheroe in six parliaments, from 1713 until his death in 1745, at which point Thomas succeeded him. He held the seat for the next 16 years — being "of little consequence in the House of Commons" – until his own death in 1761.^[1]

His younger brother, Nathaniel Lister (1725–1793), then succeeded him, holding the seat until 1773 when Thomas' son and heir, Thomas, reached the age of 21.^[3]

Marriage and issue

On 3 September 1748, Lister married Beatrix, daughter of Jessop Hulton of Hulton Park. They had one son and two daughters:^[4]

• Beatrix (1 November 1749 – 10 May 1807), married in 1778 John Parker, MP for Clitheroe; mother of the antiquarian Thomas Lister Parker
• Thomas Lister, 1st Baron Ribblesdale (1752–1826), represented Clitheroe between 1773–90 and was raised to the peerage as Baron Ribblesdale in 1797
• Katharine (5 August 1754 – 6 September 1762), died young

He died in 1761. His wife died in 1774.^[4]