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Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham

Thomas Robinson, 2nd Baron Grantham (1738-1786), British politician and statesman, was the son of Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham. He was born at Vienna on the 30 November 1738. Educated at Westminster School and at Christ's College, Cambridge, he entered parliament as member for Christchurch in 1761, and succeeded to the peerage in 1770. In 1771 he was sent as ambassador to Madrid and retained this post until war broke out between Great Britain and Spain in 1779. From 1780 to 1782 Grantham was President of the Board of Trade, and from July 1782 to April 1783 Foreign Secretary under Lord Shelburne. He died on the 20 July 1786, leaving two sons, Thomas Philip, who became the 3rd baron, and Frederick John, afterwards 1st Earl of Ripon.

Text originally from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.