Thomas Pakenham

Sir Thomas Pakenham (1649-1703) was an Irish barrister and politician: he sat in the Irish House of Commons as MP for Augher and held the office of Serjeant-at-law (Ireland). He was the grandfather of the first Baron Longford. He was the eldest son of Henry Pakenham, of Pakenham Hall, County Westmeath, and his first wife Mary Lill, daughter of Robert Lill of Trim, County Meath and Eleanor, sister of James Ussher, Archbishop of Armagh. The Pakenham family, who were originally from Suffolk, had come to Ireland about 1575, in the entourage of Sir Henry Sidney, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, to whom they were related. The family acquired substantial lands in Westmeath and County Wexford. He was educated at Trinity College Dublin and entered Lincoln's Inn in 1674. He was called to the Irish Bar and became King's Counsel in 1685. As a barrister he was held in high regard, and enjoyed the patronage of Charles Porter, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland. In 1692 he was recommended for promotion to be one of the three serjeants-at-law, being described by Porter as "the fittest that can be picked on for the King's service". He became Second Serjeant in that year, with a knighthood, and was made Prime Serjeant in 1695, on Porter's recommendation, holding that office until his death in 1703. He was MP for Augher from 1695 to 1699.