Thomas Dunne (Lord Lieutenant)

Sir Thomas Raymond Dunne, KG, KCVO, JP (24 October 1933 – 6 January 2025) was a British military officer who was Lord Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester, serving from 1977, then (after the historic counties were restored) from 1998 he was the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire until 2001 and the Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire until 2008.

Biography

Thomas Raymond Dunne was born on 24 October 1933, the son of Philip Russell Rendel Dunne, a military officer and politician.^[1] He was educated at Eton College and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

In 1977, Dunne was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester, three years after the administrative counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire were merged to form Hereford and Worcester. In 1995, he was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. In 1998, Hereford and Worcester reverted to its original counties, and Sir Thomas became Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire and Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire.^[2] He retired from the latter on 31 July 2001. He was Chairman of the Lord Lieutenants Association. In 2008, he was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter.^[3]

Dunne married Henrietta Rose Crawley, daughter of Cosmo Stafford Crawley. He died on 6 January 2025, at the age of 91.^[4]

Family

Sir Thomas was the father of:

Camilla Rose Dunne, married to the Hon. Rupert Soames (son of Christopher Soames, Baron Soames and Mary Churchill, and a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill) in 1988
Philip Martin Dunne, Conservative MP for Ludlow from 2005 to 2024
Letitia Dunne
Nicholas Dunne, married to Lady Jasmine Cavendish, daughter of Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire

Arms

Coat of arms of Thomas Dunne
	Notes Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter since 2008. Crest Upon a helm with a wreath of the colours, a rose Or the stalk Sable entwining and encircling a cluster of snakes' heads upwards Or'. Torse Mantling Or and Sable. Escutcheon Sable a wolf rampant holding between the forepaws a bottle Or the label Sable on a chief dancetty of three points downwards Or two pears bendwise slipped and leaved Sable. Orders The Order of the Garter circlet.^[5] Banner The banner of Sir Thomas Dunne's arms used as Knight Companion of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel.

References

^ Birthdays: 23 October, The Independent, 23 October 1999.
^ Lord-Lieutenants of Counties (England & Wales) 1974- Archived 2012-09-07 at archive.today, Institute of Historical Research, September 2005.
^ Top honour for Sir Thomas, Hereford Times, 23 April 2008.
^ "Announcement regarding the death of the former Chairman of the Association of the Lord-Lieutenants and former Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Sir Thomas Dunne, KG, KCVO". Herefordshire Council. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
^ The Friends of St. George's & Descendants of the Knights of the Garter Annual Review 2007/08, vol. VIII, 2008, p. 479

Honorary titles
Preceded by John Francis Maclean	Lord Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester 1977–1998	Succeeded by Office abolished
Preceded by Office restored	Lord Lieutenant of Herefordshire 1998–2008	Succeeded by The Countess of Darnley
Preceded by Office restored	Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire 1998–2001	Succeeded by Michael Brinton

[1] Birthdays: 23 October, The Independent, 23 October 1999.

[2] Lord-Lieutenants of Counties (England & Wales) 1974- Archived 2012-09-07 at archive.today, Institute of Historical Research, September 2005.

[3] Top honour for Sir Thomas, Hereford Times, 23 April 2008.

[4] "Announcement regarding the death of the former Chairman of the Association of the Lord-Lieutenants and former Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, Sir Thomas Dunne, KG, KCVO". Herefordshire Council. 9 January 2025. Retrieved 9 January 2025.

[5] The Friends of St. George's & Descendants of the Knights of the Garter Annual Review 2007/08, vol. VIII, 2008, p. 479

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