Wildman, Thomas (1787 -1859)

Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Wildman, of Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire, was the eldest son of Thomas Wildman, Esq., of Bedford Square, Lincoln's Inn, and Bacton Hall in Suffolk, and Sarah Hardinge of Bacton Hall. He was educated at Harrow School and Christ Church, where he matriculated 24 April 1806. A Colonel in the Army, he entered the 7th Light Dragoons, afterwards Hussars, as a cornet in 1808, was in the retreat to Corunna, served in the Peninsular Wars, and was aide de camp to the Earl of Uxbridge at Quatre Bras and to the Marquess of Anglesey at Waterloo, at which last he was slightly wounded. He married, in 1816, Louisa, daughter of F. Preizig of Appenzal in Switzerland, purchased Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire from Thomas Clawton in 1818 for £95,000. He was a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant, and High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1821. He retired from the army in 1832, was Colonel of the Sherwood Rangers, Equerry to the Duke of Sussex, and provincial Grandmaster of the Freemasons for 35 years.