Sir Thomas White, 1st Baronet

[1] His grandfather, also named Taylor White, was the founding Treasurer of The Foundling Hospital, a judge, Fellow of The Royal Society, and Patron of the Arts.

When it appeared that an invasion of England by Napoleon was imminent, White twice raised, quartered, fed, clothed and armed a force of volunteers to help defend the nation.

King George III heard of these deeds and offered to share half of the cost from his privy purse, as he saw this as too much a burden for a private gentleman to bear.

On this a sentry was posted day and night to watch for the lighting of the beacon on Gringley Hill, near Gainsborough, as a signal of the landing of the French.

When the French camp at Boulogne was broken up and all fear of an invasion was past, the English Government decided to test through some part of the country the popular feeling, and to see whether there would be a general rising of the people.

In 1808 Sir Thomas was also commissioned as Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the 3rd (Retford) Regiment, Nottinghamshire Local Militia, in which his son, the future 2nd Baronet, served as a junior officer.

His steward and a gentleman who was in the house attended him to his bed-room, and after he had been in bed a short time he said that he was easier; in a few minutes he was again seized, and almost instantly expired.