Sir Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Baronet

Who was Sir Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Baronet?

Sir Lionel Tollemache 3rd Baronet of Helmingham was the head of a powerful East Anglian family whose seat was Helmingham Hall in Suffolk, England. He was the son of Sir Lionel Tollemache, 2nd Baronet and Elizabeth Stanhope, an heiress of Lord Harrington.

Around 1648, Tollemache married Elizabeth Murray, the daughter of William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart and 'whipping boy' to King Charles I. He and his wife, who were both fervent royalists, moved to her house at Ham in Surrey, which in due course became a centre for the activities of the Sealed Knot. Together they were in contact with Charles Stuart, later Charles II, then in exile on the continent. Rather surprisingly however, Elizabeth was also said to be on very good terms with the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell, leading to claims that he was the real father of some of her children, since discounted.

Tollemache appears to have been plagued with ill-health throughout much of his life.