Nicholas Leader (born 1773) facts for kids

Nicholas Philpot Leader (born in 1773, died in 1836) was an important person in Irish history. He was a lawyer, a big landowner, and a businessman. He also became a politician who supported liberal ideas. From 1830 to 1832, he served in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, which is like the main parliament in the UK.

Who Was Nicholas Leader?

Nicholas Philpot Leader was born on January 19, 1773. He was the oldest son of William Leader. His father owned a lot of land in County Cork, Ireland. This land included their family homes at Mount Leader near Millstreet and Dromagh Castle near Kanturk.

Early Life and Education

Nicholas went to some very good schools. He studied at Trinity College Dublin, which is a famous university. He also attended the King's Inn and the Middle Temple. These places helped him become a lawyer. In 1798, he officially became a lawyer in Ireland.

A Career in Law and Business

Nicholas didn't just practice law. His family's land also had coal mines in north Cork. Nicholas worked hard to make these mines even better. He even got a loan from the government to help with this.

Entering Politics

Nicholas Leader was a friend and supporter of Daniel O'Connell. O'Connell was a very important leader who fought for the rights of Catholic people in Ireland. In 1812, Nicholas tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Cork. He supported something called Catholic Emancipation, which meant giving Catholics more rights. He didn't win that election.

In 1828, Nicholas took over his father's estates. That same year, he was suggested to run for a special election in Tralee. Daniel O'Connell supported him, but Nicholas was not elected that time either.

Time in Parliament

In 1830, Nicholas Leader was chosen to run for a seat in Kilkenny City. He was a Liberal politician who wanted to see changes and improvements in the government. He won the election and became an MP.

He was elected again in 1831. While in Parliament, he supported the Reform Acts. These laws made important changes to how people could vote. However, he strongly disagreed with the Irish Reform Bill. He felt it didn't give enough people in Ireland the right to vote.

In 1832, there was another election. Nicholas decided not to sign a promise from the Repeal Association. This group wanted to end the union between Great Britain and Ireland. Because he didn't sign, he chose to step down from Parliament.

Later Life

Nicholas Philpot Leader passed away in February 1836. He died at a place called Nasville in County Cork. His oldest son, also named Nicholas, took over the family estates. Later, in 1861, his son became a Conservative MP for County Cork.