The Tree - Person Sheet
The Tree - Person Sheet
NameThomas (Diamond) Pitt 
Birth5 Jul 1653, St Mary Blandford, Dorset, England
Death28 Apr 1726, Swallowfield Park, Swallowfield, Reading, Berkshire, England
OccupationBritish merchant
FatherRev Johannes (John) Pitt (1610-1672)
MotherSarah Jay (ca1620-1664)
Misc. Notes
Information from Cynthia Glover (nee Coleman), whose great-great-grandfather was William Samuel Allen b.1843. (William's sister, Martha Allen, married Charles Oliver, youngest son of James and Ruth Oliver).
Cynthia writes that Thomas was a British merchant involved in trade with India. He at first came into conflict with the British East India Company, however this was settled and the company appointed him governor of Fort St. George, Madras. Thomas is known as "Diamond" Pitt for his purchase from an Indian merchant of an extraordinary large high quality 410 carat (82 g) uncut diamond. Thomas made a good profit from the purchase.
Wikipedia says, “Pitt bought the diamond for 48,000 pagodas or £20,400, and sent it back to England in 1702 with his eldest son. For two years from 1704–1706, the jeweller Harris labored in London to hew a 141 carat (28.2 g) cushion brilliant from the rough stone. Several secondary stones were produced from the cut that were sold to Peter the Great of Russia. After many attempts to sell it to various European royals, including Louis XIV of France, Pitt and his sons went with the diamond to Calais in 1717. With John Law acting as agent, it was sold that year to the French regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans for £135,000, becoming one of the crown jewels of France. Today, "Le Régent" as it came to be known, remains in the French Royal Treasury at the Louvre, where it has been on display, since 1887”.
In Cynthia Glover’s book, “The Allen Family”, she writes that Thomas had six children:
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
- Lucy
- Essex
- John
It is interesting to note that both the granddaughters of Robert and of Lucy, are the same Hester Pitt, who married Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope. Charles Stanhope is the father of William Allin (Allen) who immigrated to New Zealand in 1841. It is William Allen’s daughter, Martha Allen, that married Charles Oliver.
Cynthia writes that Thomas was a British merchant involved in trade with India. He at first came into conflict with the British East India Company, however this was settled and the company appointed him governor of Fort St. George, Madras. Thomas is known as "Diamond" Pitt for his purchase from an Indian merchant of an extraordinary large high quality 410 carat (82 g) uncut diamond. Thomas made a good profit from the purchase.
Wikipedia says, “Pitt bought the diamond for 48,000 pagodas or £20,400, and sent it back to England in 1702 with his eldest son. For two years from 1704–1706, the jeweller Harris labored in London to hew a 141 carat (28.2 g) cushion brilliant from the rough stone. Several secondary stones were produced from the cut that were sold to Peter the Great of Russia. After many attempts to sell it to various European royals, including Louis XIV of France, Pitt and his sons went with the diamond to Calais in 1717. With John Law acting as agent, it was sold that year to the French regent, Philippe II, Duke of Orléans for £135,000, becoming one of the crown jewels of France. Today, "Le Régent" as it came to be known, remains in the French Royal Treasury at the Louvre, where it has been on display, since 1887”.
In Cynthia Glover’s book, “The Allen Family”, she writes that Thomas had six children:
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
- Lucy
- Essex
- John
It is interesting to note that both the granddaughters of Robert and of Lucy, are the same Hester Pitt, who married Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope. Charles Stanhope is the father of William Allin (Allen) who immigrated to New Zealand in 1841. It is William Allen’s daughter, Martha Allen, that married Charles Oliver.
Spouses
Marriageca 1678