Biography of Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale 1828-1876

On 9th February 1826 [his father] Thomas Lister 2nd Baron Ribblesdale (age 36) and [his mother] Adelaide Lister (age 18) were married. She by marriage Baroness Ribblesdale of Gisburne Park in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

On 28th April 1828 Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale was born to Thomas Lister 2nd Baron Ribblesdale (age 38) and Adelaide Lister (age 20).

Turf Celebrities I Have Known: Lord Ribblesdale. His lordship [Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale (age 3)] was a heavy better, though, as I have said, never a rich man. An instance or two of this I may give here. When St. Giles was a three-year old, I thought he would win the Northamptonshire Stakes. As he was slow, I put him in the Betting Room Stakes, half a mile, at Doncaster Spring Meeting, and told his lordship not to back him for much, as something would most likely go faster and beat him, which would enable him to back him at better odds for the Northamptonshire Stakes, but when the betting opened, in spite of my advice, he began backing him and continued to do so till the start, and after a very punishing race in the early part, he won by only a length and a half. Old Mr. Osborne, a capital judge of racing and father of the present celebrated and pattern jockey and trainer of that name, after the race, said that he would not win the Northamptonshire Stakes. No doubt he thought so and had a right to hold such an opinion from his (St. Giles's) performance that day, without knowing anything of his staying qualities. He also was aware how good Skirmisher was, and that prejudiced his mind against any and everything else in the race. However, Skirmisher was second, St. Giles winning easily, though only by a neck, as Sam Adams put his hands down and ceased riding him opposite the stand, where he had won several lengths, which allowed the second horse to get up close to him at the finish. "It never rains but it pours," is the old adage, for the year before Lord Ribblesdale bought Happy Land of me, having purchased Glee Singer, his half brother, the year preceding, who won for him the Newmarket Stakes.

On 10th December 1832 [his father] Thomas Lister 2nd Baron Ribblesdale (age 42) died. His son Thomas (age 4) succeeded 3rd Baron Ribblesdale of Gisburne Park in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

On 11th April 1835 [his step-father] John Russell 1st Earl Russell (age 42) and [his mother] Adelaide Lister (age 27) were married. He the son of John Russell 6th Duke Bedford (age 68) and Georgiana Elizabeth Byng.

On 1st November 1838 [his mother] Adelaide Lister (age 31) died having given birth to her second child [his half-sister] Victoria Russell ten days before.

Turf Celebrities I Have Known: Lord Ribblesdale. I had the pleasure of training for some few years for the late Right Honourable Lord Ribblesdale (age 22), of Gisburne Park, Lancashire, until lack of funds compelled him to give up his only outdoor amusement, racing. About the year 1851 or 1852, when General Peel gave up racing, Lord Ribblesdale purchased his small stud, consisting of some pretty good horses, such as Nabob, Kingston, Livermere, Lapidist, and a few others; they remained to be trained with Mr. Cooper, at Newmarket, who bore a high character and was honourably connected with the Turf as a trainer, just as General Peel, his employer, was a straightforward and honest supporter of Sport.

The Life of Lord John Russell. August 1851. When Parliament adjourned in the middle of August 1851, the family at Pembroke Lodge was in some anxiety. Lord John's second step-daughter, who afterwards became Mrs. Warburton, had for many months shown symptoms of great delicacy, and her medical advisers insisted on her leaving England and on passing the winter in a warmer climate. She and her sister (Lady Melvill) and a French lady, engaged as their companion, sailed in September, and were ultimately joined by their brother, Lord Ribblesdale (age 23), in Italy. During the sixteen years which had elapsed since his first marriage, Lord John had known no such parting from his first wife's children. The reason which had necessitated it made it the more painful; and perhaps on this account, as well as for the sake of the change which he sorely needed, he carried his wife and four of his own children with him to North Wales. Lady John shall tell the story:—

The Life of Lord John Russell. May 1853. The months through which the session of 1853 was protracted left deep impressions on [his step-father] Lord John's (age 60) domestic life. In February his step-mother, the Dowager-Duchess of Bedford, died, somewhat suddenly, at Nice; in July his mother-in-law, Lady Minto, died, after a long illness, at Nervi. If, however, older faces were dropping out of the family circle, fresh and younger additions were being made to it. In May his stepson, Lord Ribblesdale (age 25), was married to [his future wife] Miss Mure of Caldwell (age 20)¹.

Note 1. Lord Ribblesdale had been educated at Eton and Oxford. He caused Lord John some anxiety in 1851 by purchasing Colonel (better known as General Jonathan) Peel's racehorses. To Lord John's remonstrance he wrote, ‘Every man, say I, his own métier. We are all good for something, as your friend Horace justly remarks to Mæcenas in his first ode: "Sunt quos curriculo pulverem Olympicum," &c. And again, "Hunc si nobilium turba Quiritium," &c. We of the nineteenth century remain the same as in Horace's time. I should take as much interest in a race in which I had a horse running, as you in the issue of an election for a Government borough.'

On 7th May 1853 Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale (age 25) and Emma Mure Lady Ribblesdale (age 20) were married. She by marriage Baroness Ribblesdale of Gisburne Park in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Turf Celebrities I Have Known: Lord Ribblesdale. But to return, Lord Ribblesdale (age 25) was amiable and good. I never saw him lose his temper in any matter of racing, or give vent to angry feelings, however great he may have thought the provocation. His word was his bond, and in all his payments, which were mostly done by bills payable at his own bankers', Messrs. Dimsdale and Co., he was exemplary and exact.

To no one have I greater cause for gratitude than to his lordship, whom whilst living I admired, honoured and revered, whilst in deep sorrow I lamented his unfortunate death.

On 29th October 1854 [his son] Thomas Lister 4th Baron Ribblesdale was born to Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale (age 26) at Fontainebleau.

Turf Celebrities I Have Known: Lord Ribblesdale. As he [Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale (age 26)] was always in a delicate state of health, he lived mostly abroad, generally at Fontainbleau in France, he also spent considerable time in travelling in America and other parts; he never resided at Gisbume, for it is situated on the banks of the Ribble, and, like many other parts of Lancashire, is very damp and the atmosphere cold and raw, consequently not suitable to one so much out of health as he was, he therefore used to let it whenever he could. His chief amusement was painting pictures of animals and landscapes. In the first I do not think he excelled, that is, if the picture he gave me was a fair specimen of his talent. The subject was a man dressing a grey Arabian horse, but two landscapes his lordship painted afterwards to represent Morning and Evening, which he also gave to me, I think were executed with much greater display of talent, and were full of warmth and richness of colouring. He painted solely for amusement, but I believe if he had taken more time or trouble over it, he might have attained to greater excellence.

On 25th August 1876 Thomas Lister 3rd Baron Ribblesdale (age 48) committed suicide as a consequence of the loss of his wealth due to gambling. His son [his son] Thomas (age 21) succeeded 4th Baron Ribblesdale of Gisburne Park in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

On 5th July 1911 [his former wife] Emma Mure Lady Ribblesdale (age 78) died.