Philip Thicknesse

Captain Philip Thicknesse (1719 – 23 November 1792) was a British author, eccentric and friend of the artist Thomas Gainsborough.

Philip Thicknesse was born in Staffordshire, England, son of John Thicknesse, the Rector of Farthinghoe, Northamptonshire and Joyce (née Blencowe) Thicknesse and brought up in Farthinghoe.

In later life he lived on the Royal Crescent in Bath. Thicknesse obtained a commission as a Captain of an independent company in Jamaica after 1737, but transferred to a marine regiment as a Captain-Lieutenant in 1740. He was Lieutenant-Governor of Landguard Fort, Suffolk (1753–1766).

He was a friend of the society artist Thomas Gainsborough who he first met in about 1753 and also his less well-known brother, the inventor Humphrey Gainsborough. He was an author and wrote for The Gentleman's Magazine. He also published The Speaking Figure and the Automaton Chess Player, Exposed and Detected, a not entirely accurate exposé of the chess-playing machine The Turk.

In 1742 he eloped with Maria Lanove, a wealthy heiress, after he abducted her from a street in Southampton and took up residence in Bath with her, taking full advantage of the social whirl of life. In 1749 Maria and his children (now three of them) contracted diphtheria; she and two children died, leaving only a daughter, Anna, to survive. When Maria's parents died some time later (his mother-in-law committing suicide), he spent much time in trying to claim their fortune. Thicknesse then married Lady Elizabeth Tuchet, daughter of James Tuchet, 6th Earl of Castlehaven and Hon. Elizabeth Arundell, on 10 May 1749. They had a son George (1758-1818), later 19th Baron Audley. Elizabeth died in childbirth in 1762. His third wife was his late wife's companion, Anne Ford, daughter of Thomas Ford, whom he married on 27 September 1762. Ann (1732–1824) was a gifted musician with a beautiful voice who was well-educated and knew five languages. She gave Sunday concerts at her father's house, but her ambition was to become a professional actress and, in spite of her father's disapproval, she left home to enter the stage. They had a son, Captain RN (c1763–1846). The couple spent a lot of time travelling in Europe.

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