Richard Longfield, 1st Viscount Longueville facts for kids

Richard Longfield, 1st Viscount Longueville (born 1734, died 1811) was an important Irish politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) and later became a peer, which is a noble title. He lived during a time when Ireland had its own parliament.

Richard Longfield's Early Life and Role

Richard Longfield was born in 1734. We don't have many details about his early life. However, we know he became a significant figure in County Cork, Ireland.

What is a High Sheriff?

Before becoming an MP, Longfield held the position of High Sheriff of County Cork. He served in this role from 1758 to 1761. A High Sheriff was a very important local official. Their job was to maintain law and order in their county. They also helped with legal matters and elections.

Longfield's Time as a Member of Parliament

Richard Longfield was elected to the Irish House of Commons several times. This was the main law-making body in Ireland at the time.

Representing Charleville and Cork City

• He first represented the area of Charleville in County Cork. He was an MP for Charleville from 1761 to 1768.
• Later, he became an MP for Cork City. He held this seat from 1776 to 1783.

Election Challenges

In 1783, something unusual happened. Richard Longfield was "declared not duly elected" for Cork City. This means there was a problem with the election process. It could have been due to voting rules or how votes were counted. Because of this, he lost his seat.

Back in Parliament

Even after this setback, Longfield continued his political career.

• He then represented Baltimore, another area in County Cork. He was the MP for Baltimore from 1783 to 1790.
• After that, he managed to get his old seat back. He represented Cork City again from 1790 to 1796.

Becoming a Peer: Baron and Viscount

After his time as an MP, Richard Longfield was given special noble titles. These titles are part of the Peerage of Ireland. This means he became a member of the Irish House of Lords, which was the upper house of the Irish Parliament.

Baron Longueville

On October 1, 1795, he was given his first title. He became Baron Longueville, named after Longueville in County Cork. This was a great honor.

Viscount Longueville

A few years later, on December 29, 1800, he received an even higher title. He was made Viscount Longueville. This title had existed before in the Peerage of England but had ended. Richard Longfield's new title brought it back in the Irish peerage.

End of His Life and Titles

Richard Longfield, 1st Viscount Longueville, passed away in 1811. He did not have any children who could inherit his noble titles. Because of this, both his titles, Baron Longueville and Viscount Longueville, ended when he died.