Thomas, an able politician and antiquary, was born at Lincoln in 1722. The first part of his career was occupied with civil duties. Having repaired to America in 1753, he was appointed in succession governor of the colonies of Massachusetts, New Jersey, and South Carolina. After his return to England in 1761 he obtained a seat in Parliament, and wrote several pamphlets on the topics of the day. The latter part of Pownall's life, however, was more particularly engrossed with antiquarian studies. He contributed many papers on the antiquities of Great Britain and Ireland to the Archaeologia. He also published Notices and Descriptions of the Antiquities of Provincia Romana of Gaul, 4to, London, 1788. The death of Governor Pownall took place at Bath in 1805. For a complete list of his works, see Watt's Bibliotheca Britannica.