Thomas Colyear, 4th Earl of Portmore

Thomas Charles Colyear, 4th Earl of Portmore (27 March 1772 – 18 January 1835), styled Viscount Milsington from 1785 until 1823, was a British landowner and politician.

Early life

Lord Portmore was the son of William Colyear, 3rd Earl of Portmore and Lady Mary Leslie (1753–1799),^[1] second daughter of the 10th Earl of Rothes.

Career

Lord Milsington was an English amateur cricketer who made three known appearances in first-class cricket matches from 1792 to 1793. He was mainly associated with Hampshire and was an early member of Marylebone Cricket Club.^[2]

Political career

Lord Portmore was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the borough of Boston in Lincolnshire from 1796 to 1802.^[3]

Personal life

He was married twice; in 1793 he married Lady Mary Elizabeth Bertie (d. 1797), daughter of Brownlow Bertie, 5th Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, by whom he had a son:

• Hon. Brownlow Charles Colyear, inherited the personal property of the Duke of Ancaster on his death in 1809, but died in Rome in 1819 due to injuries sustained in a fight with bandits.

In 1828 Lord Portmore married Frances Murrells.^[4]

His titles became extinct on his death on 18 January 1835. The estates passed to his cousin James Dawkins (1760–1843), who had also been an MP.^[5]

Arms

Coat of arms of Thomas Colyear, 4th Earl of Portmore

Coronet A Coronet of an Earl Crest A Unicorn rampant Argent armed and maned Or Escutcheon Gules on a Chevron between three Wolves' Heads erased Or as many Oak Trees eradicated proper fructed Or Supporters On either side a Wolf proper Motto Avance