Hamilton Cuffe, 5th Earl of Desart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Desart
|
|
|---|---|
"Public Prosecutions"
The Earl of Desart as caricatured by Spy (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, January 1902. |
|
| Lord Lieutenant of Kilkenny | |
| In office 1920–1922 |
|
| Preceded by | The Marquess of Ormonde |
| Succeeded by | Post abolished |
| HM Procurator General and Treasury Solicitor | |
| In office 1894–1909 |
|
| Preceded by | Sir Augustus Stephenson |
| Succeeded by | Sir John Mellor, Bt. |
| Director of Public Prosecutions | |
| In office 1894–1908 |
|
| Preceded by | Sir Augustus Stephenson |
| Succeeded by | Sir Charles Mathews, Bt. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 August 1848 |
| Died | 4 November 1934 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Lady Margaret Joan Lascelles
(m. 1876; |
| Children | Lady Joan Elizabeth Cuffe Lady Sybil Marjorie Cuffe |
| Parents | John Cuffe, 3rd Earl of Desart Lady Elizabeth Campbell |
Hamilton John Agmondesham Cuffe, 5th Earl of Desart (born August 30, 1848 – died November 4, 1934) was an important Irish noble and barrister (a type of lawyer). He held several key government jobs in the United Kingdom.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Hamilton Cuffe was the second son of John Cuffe, 3rd Earl of Desart and Lady Elizabeth Campbell. He grew up with an older sister, Lady Alice Mary Cuffe, and an older brother, William Cuffe. He also had a younger brother, Captain Otway Cuffe.
His family had a long history. His grandparents were John Cuffe, 2nd Earl of Desart and Catherine O'Connor. His mother's father was John Campbell, 1st Earl Cawdor.
A Career in Public Service
Hamilton Cuffe started his career in the Royal Navy as a midshipman, which is a junior officer. Later, in 1872, he became a barrister, a lawyer who argues cases in court.
He then moved into government work. In 1877, he became a secretary for the Judicature Committee. A year later, he joined The Treasury as a solicitor.
Important Legal Roles
In 1894, Hamilton Cuffe was given several very important legal roles. He became the Treasury Solicitor, which means he was the chief legal advisor to the British government. He also became the Queen's Proctor and the Director of Public Prosecutions. These roles involved overseeing major legal cases for the government.
From 1917 to 1918, he was a delegate (a representative) for the Unionist party at the Irish Convention. This meeting discussed the future of Ireland.
In 1920, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Kilkenny. This was a high-ranking official role in his home county in Ireland. He held this position until 1922, when the Irish Free State was formed. At that time, most of these roles in Ireland were ended.
Becoming an Earl and a Baron
In 1898, Hamilton Cuffe's older brother, William, passed away without any sons. This meant Hamilton inherited the title of Earl of Desart. He became the 5th Earl of Desart.
In 1909, he was given another special title: Baron Desart. This new title was part of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This was important because it allowed him to sit and vote in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament. His older Irish titles did not give him this right.
In 1913, he became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the British monarch. In 1919, he was made a Knight of the Order of St Patrick, a very high honour.
Personal Life
On July 19, 1876, Lord Desart married his second cousin, Lady Margaret Joan Lascelles. She was the daughter of Henry Lascelles, 4th Earl of Harewood. They had two daughters:
- Lady Joan Elizabeth Mary Cuffe (1877–1951). She married Sir Harry Lloyd-Verney. They had three sons and one daughter.
- Lady Sybil Marjorie Cuffe (1879–1943). She married three times. Her first marriage was to William Bayard Cutting Jr., with whom she had one daughter, Iris Origo.
Lord Desart passed away in 1934. Since he did not have any sons, his titles, including the Earl of Desart, ended with him.
