John Beresford (Waterford MP) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Beresford
PC, PC (Ire)
|
|
|---|---|
,_MP_P5287.jpg) |
|
| Born | 14 March 1738 |
| Died | 5 November 1805 (aged 67) |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | lawyer |
| Children | John Claudius Beresford |
| Parent(s) | Marcus Beresford, 1st Earl of Tyrone |
John Beresford (born March 14, 1738 – died November 5, 1805) was an important Irish politician. He was a member of the Privy Council in both Ireland and Great Britain.
Contents
John Beresford's Early Life and Schooling
John Beresford was born into a powerful family. His father, Sir Marcus Beresford, became the Earl of Tyrone in 1746. John's mother, Catherine, inherited a noble title herself, the Barony of La Poer. This meant John grew up with strong family connections.
He went to Kilkenny College and then Trinity College Dublin. After finishing his studies, he became a lawyer in Ireland.
John Beresford's Political Journey
John Beresford started his political career in 1761. He became a member of the Irish House of Commons for County Waterford. He was also chosen for Coleraine several times. However, he always chose to represent County Waterford.
Rising in Irish Government
Because he worked hard and had a powerful family, John Beresford joined the Privy Council of Ireland in 1768. Two years later, he became a commissioner of revenue. This job involved managing taxes and money for the government.
In 1780, he became the first commissioner of revenue. This gave him a lot of power in how Ireland was run. He made many helpful changes to the tax system. He also helped improve the look of public buildings and streets in Dublin.
Disagreements and Influence
In 1784, John Beresford had a disagreement with Henry Grattan, a popular Irish leader. Beresford supported a plan for Ireland to follow English shipping laws. This was in exchange for fewer rules on Irish trade.
In 1786, he also became a member of the Privy Council of Great Britain. His influence in Ireland grew so much that people called him the 'King of Ireland'.
_P1557.jpg)
He strongly disagreed with the idea of giving more rights to Catholics. This was called Catholic Emancipation. When Earl FitzWilliam became the new leader of Ireland in 1795, he wanted to be more fair to Catholics. Beresford was very against this.
One of FitzWilliam's first actions was to remove Beresford from his job. FitzWilliam believed Beresford had misused his position. However, Beresford was allowed to keep his full salary for life. No other family members were removed from their jobs.
The Recall of FitzWilliam
John Beresford immediately used his connections in England. He told his friends he was being treated unfairly. He went to London to complain to the English ministers, including Pitt.
Many people believed that FitzWilliam's removal from his position was mainly because of Beresford's dismissal. There was a misunderstanding between Pitt and FitzWilliam about this.
When The Earl Camden took over as leader in March 1795, Beresford got his old job back.
Role in the Union
Before the Irish Rebellion of 1798, Beresford wrote letters describing the difficult situation in Ireland. He suggested strong actions to control it.
At first, Beresford did not like the idea of the union between Ireland and Great Britain. But he soon supported it and helped make it happen. After the union, Beresford continued to represent County Waterford in the British Parliament. He stayed in office until 1802. He played a key role in figuring out the money matters between Ireland and Great Britain.
John Beresford's Family Life
John Beresford was married twice. In 1760, he married Constantia Ligondes, who passed away in 1772. In 1774, he married Barbara Montgomery, who was known for her beauty. She even appeared in a famous painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds called "The Graces."
He had many children from both marriages. His sons included Marcus Beresford, George Beresford, and John Claudius Beresford. John Beresford passed away near Derry on November 5, 1805.
He lived mainly at Abbeville, Dublin and also owned a house on Dominick Street, Dublin.
