Sir Thomas Skipwith, 2nd Baronet (ca. 1652 – 15 June 1710) was a Member of Parliament, and theatrical manager in London in the late 17th and early 18th century.
Skipwith was parodied by Delarivier Manley as 'Sir Peter Vainlove' in the Adventures of Rivella published in 1714. She described him as having:[3][5]
"...a very good Face, but his Body was grown fat: He was naturally short, and his Legs being what they call somewhat bandy, he was advis’d to wear his Cloaths very long, to help conceal that Defect... he was detestably vain, and lov’d to be thought in the Favour of the Fair, which was indeed his only Fault, for he had a great deal of Wit and good Nature; but sure no Youth of Twenty had so vast a Foible for being admired. He wrote very pretty well-turned Billet-deuxs..."
Manley also described his pursuit of two mistresses,[3] and Skipworth's philandering led to him living apart from his wife on at least one occasion.[4] In 1707, Isabella Wentworth, a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Anne, wrote privately of his return:[6]
"Sir Thomas Skippoth has turned out his hoar, and is grown a very good husband, his lady lives with him hear...I sopose he wants money and soe weedles her."
Skipwith left substantial sums to his housekeeper, Susanna Gurney, and her daughter, Charlotte.[4] Historian D. W. Hayton, who describes Skipwith as 'an engaging roué', suggests this 'strengthens the suspicion' that Gurney was also his mistress, and her daughter his illegitimate child.[4]