Francis Saunderson facts for kids

Francis Saunderson (1754–1827) was an important politician from Ireland. He was an Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament (MP). This means he was from a British family who had lived in Ireland for a long time. He served in both the old Parliament of Ireland and the new UK Parliament after Ireland joined with Great Britain.

Francis Saunderson was part of the well-known Saunderson family. They lived at Castle Saunderson, a historic estate.

Early Life and Public Service

Francis Saunderson was born in 1754. He went to Eton College, a famous school in England.

Before becoming an MP, he held an important local job. From 1781 to 1782, he was the High Sheriff of Cavan. A High Sheriff was a top official in a county. They were in charge of keeping law and order.

Political Career

Francis Saunderson was a member of the Whig political party. The Whigs were one of the main political groups in Britain and Ireland at the time. They often supported more power for Parliament and less for the King.

Serving in the Irish Parliament

Saunderson first became an MP in the Irish House of Commons in 1790. He represented County Cavan. He served there until 1797. He was elected again in 1798.

The Irish Parliament was the main law-making body for Ireland. It was based in Dublin.

The Acts of Union

In 1801, a big change happened. The Acts of Union joined the Kingdom of Ireland with the Kingdom of Great Britain. This created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Because of this, the Irish Parliament was closed down.

Francis Saunderson actually voted against this union. But once it happened, he continued his political work.

Joining the UK Parliament

After the union, Francis Saunderson became an MP in the first UK Parliament. He was chosen to represent the Cavan constituency. He was then officially elected in the 1802 general election. This meant he now traveled to London to make laws for the entire United Kingdom.

Family Life

Francis Saunderson married Anne Bassett White. She was from Miskin, Wales. They got married in either August 1778 or 1779.

He and Anne had several children. Their son, Alexander Saunderson, also became a Member of Parliament. Later, their grandson, Edward Saunderson, followed in their footsteps and became an MP too. This shows that public service was a strong tradition in their family.

Francis Saunderson passed away in 1827 at Castle Saunderson.