Sir Thomas Gladstone, 2nd Baronet

Sir Thomas Gladstone, 2nd Baronet, was born on 25 July 1804 in Liverpool. He was the eldest son of Sir John Gladstone, 1st Baronet, a Scottish businessman, and his second wife, Anne MacKenzie Robertson. Thomas Gladstone was educated at Eton College beginning in 1817 but left the school after experiencing dissatisfaction with its discipline and curriculum. In 1822, he commenced studies at Christ Church, Oxford.

Gladstone's political career included brief and intermittent periods as a Member of Parliament (MP). Initially, he became MP for Queenborough in 1830 through a petition after losing the vote. He served until 1831. In 1832, he was elected MP for Portarlington in Ireland but did not secure re-election in 1835. In 1835, Thomas Gladstone began representing Leicester, focusing on issues such as taxes on spirits and fire insurance, and was known to have presented petitions related to these concerns. He contested Peterborough in 1841 but was unsuccessful, subsequently winning a seat in a by-election at Walsall, which was later invalidated due to allegations of electoral malpractice. He then won a seat at Ipswich in 1842; however, his election was challenged, leading to multiple by-elections. Throughout his parliamentary tenure, Gladstone engaged in debates and petitions, often defending his family and inherited values; his maiden speech in Parliament occurred on 21 February 1835.

Gladstone married Louisa Fellowes in 1835. The couple had six daughters—Louise, Constance Elizabeth, Edith Helen, and three other daughters born between 1847 and 1853—and a son, John Robert, born in 1852, who succeeded as the 3rd Baronet. The family resided at the ancestral estate in Fasque, in the Highlands of Scotland.

Religious affiliation for Thomas Gladstone was with the Low Church Protestant tradition, characterized by ascetic Presbyterian principles. He was known for his frugal and parsimonious nature, which contrasted with the more socially liberal stance often associated with his brother, William Ewart Gladstone, who was a Liberal Prime Minister.

In familial matters, Gladstone managed his estate and was responsible for the well-being of his family, including his sister Helen, whom he placed in a Roman Catholic convent in 1847. He inherited the Fasque estate and the baronetcy after his father's death in December 1851. He had a limited relationship with William Ewart Gladstone in his later years; over time, their contact decreased substantially.

Sir Thomas Gladstone served as Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire from 1876 until his death. He passed away at Fasque House on 20 March 1889, with his funeral attended by his brother William Ewart Gladstone. His wife, Lady Louisa Gladstone, died at Fasque House on 3 May 1901.