Stephen de Vere facts for kids

Sir Stephen Edward De Vere, 4th Baronet (born 26 July 1812 – died 10 November 1904) was an important person from Ireland. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Limerick County. During the terrible Great Famine in 1847, he personally saw the awful conditions on "coffin ships". These were ships that carried Irish people trying to escape to North America. He also became a Roman Catholic.

Stephen De Vere's Life Story

Stephen Edward De Vere was the second son of Sir Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Baronet and Mary Spring Rice. He was also the older brother of a famous poet named Aubrey Thomas de Vere.

Witnessing the "Coffin Ships"

In 1847, a very sad time known as the Great Famine was happening in Ireland. Many people were starving and decided to leave Ireland to find a better life, mostly in North America. They traveled on ships that became known as "coffin ships" because so many people died during the journey due to terrible conditions.

Stephen De Vere wanted to see these conditions for himself. So, he bravely took a trip on one of these ships, traveling to British North America (which included parts of Canada). He saw how crowded and unhealthy the ships were, and how many passengers were suffering and dying.

After his journey, De Vere wrote a very strong report about what he had seen. This report was so important that it was sent to Lord Elgin, who was in charge of Canada at the time. The report helped to show how bad things were. Because of reports like his, a new law called the Passenger Act of 1847 was created. This law tried to make "coffin ships" illegal and improve conditions for passengers, though some still operated.

His Political and Religious Life

In 1847, Stephen De Vere became a Roman Catholic. He was a member of the Whig Party, which was a political group in Britain. He served as an MP for Limerick County from 1854 to 1859. Later, in 1870, he was chosen to be the High Sheriff of County Limerick. A High Sheriff was a very important local official, like a chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1880, Stephen Edward became the 4th Baronet De Vere of Curragh. This happened when his older brother, Vere Edmond, passed away without any sons to inherit the title. With this title, Stephen also inherited a large estate called Curraghchase Forest Park in County Limerick.

Before becoming the Baronet, in the 1850s, Stephen built a smaller house on Foynes Island. This island is in the River Shannon, close to the town of Foynes. It was less than 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from Curraghchase. At this house, he spent time writing poems and political papers. He also translated the works of a famous ancient Roman poet named Horace. Many people thought his translations were some of the best in English.

Stephen De Vere built a beautiful Gothic-style church in Foynes. When he died in 1904, he was buried next to this church. He never married or had children. Because of this, the title of Baronet ended when he passed away. His estate went to his nephew, Aubrey Vere O'Brien.