John Hely-Hutchinson (secretary of state) facts for kids

John Hely, who later became known as John Hely-Hutchinson (1724 – 4 September 1794), was an important Irish lawyer and statesman. He also served as the Provost of Trinity College Dublin, which is like being the head of a university.

Quick facts for kids John Hely-Hutchinson FRS
Portrait, oil on canvas, of John Hely-Hutchinson (1724–1794) by Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792)
Principal Secretary of State
In office 1766–1794
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Philip Tisdall
Succeeded by	Edmund Henry Pery, 2nd Baron Glentworth
Member of Parliament for Taghmon
In office 1790–1794
Member of Parliament for Cork City
In office 1761–1790
Member of Parliament for Lanesborough
In office 1759–1761
Personal details
Born	1724 (1724) Gortroe, Mallow, County Cork
Died	4 September 1794(1794-09-04) (aged 69–70)
Nationality	Anglo-Irish
Relatives	John Hely-Hutchinson (son)
Residence	Frescati House
Alma mater	Trinity College Dublin
Profession	Irish politician
Military service
Allegiance	Great Britain
Branch/service	British Army
Rank	Major

Early Life and Family

John Hely was born in 1724 in Gortroe, a place near Mallow in County Cork, Ireland. His father was Francis Hely. John studied at Trinity College Dublin, a famous university, and finished his degree in 1744.

In 1748, he became a lawyer, which meant he could argue cases in court. In 1751, he married Christiana Nixon. She was the heiress of her uncle, Richard Hutchinson. When they married, John added "Hutchinson" to his name, becoming John Hely-Hutchinson.

Political Career

John Hely-Hutchinson started his political career in 1759. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lanesborough in the Irish House of Commons. This was the main law-making body in Ireland at the time. From 1761 to 1790, he represented Cork City as an MP.

Early Political Stance

At first, he supported the "patriotic party," which was against the government. However, he later joined the government's side. Even so, he continued to support ideas that were popular with the public. He was known for being very smart and good at speaking in Parliament. One important leader, Lord Townshend, said he was the most powerful person in Parliament.

Important Roles and Rewards

Over time, Hely-Hutchinson gained several important positions. He became a privy councillor, which is a senior advisor to the monarch. He also became the prime Serjeant-at-law, a high legal role.

In 1767, the government wanted to increase the size of the army in Ireland. This plan, called the Augmentation Bill, faced a lot of opposition. To get enough support, the government offered rewards like titles, pensions, and jobs to politicians. Hely-Hutchinson was persuaded to support the bill when the government agreed that the Irish army increase would be decided by an Irish law, not an English one.

Because of his valuable support, he received extra money for a job he had called "alnager" (a job that didn't require much work). He also got a major's rank in the army and was promised the job of Secretary of State.

Provost of Trinity College

In 1774, Hely-Hutchinson gave up his legal and other well-paid jobs to become the Provost of Trinity College. The Provost is like the president or head of the university. This was a big deal because usually, the Provost had to be a clergyman, but the rules were changed for him.

His appointment caused some debate because he wasn't known for his academic background. He was also criticized for trying to get his sons elected to Parliament to represent the university. However, he was a good leader for the college and helped it in many ways.

Key Political Ideas

Hely-Hutchinson was a forward-thinking politician. He supported free trade, which means allowing goods to be bought and sold without many government restrictions. He also believed in helping Catholics by removing unfair laws against them. He even supported changing Parliament to make it fairer.

He was one of the first politicians to agree with the ideas of Adam Smith, a famous economist, about trade. In 1779, he wrote a book called Commercial Restraints of Ireland, which talked about Ireland's economic problems and suggested solutions based on Smith's ideas. This book helped him regain popularity.

He also had very open-minded views on Catholic education. In 1782, he spoke in Parliament, saying that Catholic students should be allowed to study at Trinity College. He believed it was important for Catholic priests to be well-educated in Ireland, rather than going abroad.

Later Political Life

In 1777, Hely-Hutchinson became the Secretary of State for Ireland. In 1782, when Henry Grattan proposed that Ireland should have its own legislative independence (meaning it could make its own laws without England's approval), Hely-Hutchinson eventually supported this popular idea. He also supported the opposition on the "regency question" in 1788, which was about who would rule if the king became unable to. One of his last votes in Parliament was for parliamentary reform.

He continued to serve as an MP, first for Cork and then for Taghmon in County Wexford, until his death in 1794. In March 1794, he was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, a very prestigious group of scientists.

Family Life

In 1783, John's wife, Christiana, was given the title Baroness Donoughmore. When she passed away in 1788, their oldest son, Richard, inherited the title. Richard was a strong supporter of Catholic emancipation, which meant giving Catholics equal rights. He later received higher titles, becoming Viscount Donoughmore in 1797 and Earl of Donoughmore in 1800. The title then passed down through the family.

See also

• Froude, JA; The English in Ireland in the Eighteenth Century (3 vols, London, 1872–1874);
• Grattan, H.; Memoirs of the Life and Times of Henry Grattan (8 vols, London, 1839–1846);
• Lecky, William Edward Hartpole; History of Ireland in the Eighteenth Century (5 volumes, London, 1892) and
• Various authors; Baratariana, (Dublin, 5773).