Sir Thomas St George | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1615 |
| Died | 6 March 1703(1703-03-06) (aged 87–88) |
| Occupation | Officer of arms |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent | Henry St George |
| Relatives | Henry St George, the younger (brother) |
Sir Thomas St George (1615 – 6 March 1703) was an Englishofficer of arms who rose to the rank ofGarter Principal King of Arms (1686–1703).
He was the eldest child of the herald SirHenry St George and his wife, Mary Dayrell, daughter of Sir Thomas Dayrell. He lived at Woodford inEssex.[1] Around 1646, he married Clara Pymlowe (d. 1691), whose father, John Pymlowe, was aNorthamptonshire rector. They had six children, including Thomas junior, who was Vicar ofBexley, and Eleanor, who married the eminent Irish judgeThomas Coote.
At theRestoration he was appointedSomerset Herald. As deputy toSir Edward Walker, he went on a mission toDresden and investedJohn George II, Elector of Saxony on 13 April 1669 with theOrder of the Garter. He was knighted in 1669 and appointedNorroy King of Arms in 1680, in succession to his younger brotherHenry. The seniority was reversed when in 1686, he was appointed Garter on the death ofWilliam Dugdale. In 1690 he appointed a deputy to deliver the Garter to a Continental recipient, but the following year he undertook the task himself asWilliam III was to attend the ceremony. In 1693,Gregory King acted as his deputy to deliver the Garter to theElector of Saxony. On his return to London in May 1693 he wasknighted.[2]
Following his first wife's death, he married Anne (d. 1721), daughter of Sir John Lawson and widow of William Attwood in 1692. Their only daughter Isabella died in infancy. In 1693, he and his brother Sir Henry were appointed commissioners for the rebuilding ofSt Paul's Cathedral after theGreat Fire of London. He died at theCollege of Arms on 6 March 1703 and was buried at Woodford. His manuscripts were purchased byPeter Le Neve, Norroy King of Arms. According toMark Noble, "he died more esteemed as a good, and more respected as an elegant man, than praised for his knowledge".[3]
His estates passed to his granddaughter Eleanor, who was the only child of his son Thomas and his wife Damaris Renter. She married Thomas Dare ofTaunton.
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