Theophilus Blakeney facts for kids

Theophilus Blakeney (born around 1730 – died September 22, 1813) was an Irish politician. He was known for serving in the Irish Parliament and also had a military career.

Theophilus Blakeney was born in County Galway, Ireland. His father was John Blakeney, who was also a Member of Parliament (MP). His mother was Grace Persse. Theophilus had several brothers, including Robert, John, and William Blakeney.

Serving in Parliament

Theophilus Blakeney was a Member of Parliament (MP) for many years. An MP is a person chosen by voters to represent them in the country's parliament. Parliament is a group of people who make laws for the country.

Representing Athenry

Theophilus first became an MP for the area of Athenry. He served in this role from 1768 to 1776. He later returned to represent Athenry again from 1783 to 1799.

Representing Carlingford

Between his two terms for Athenry, Theophilus Blakeney was an MP for Carlingford. He represented this area from 1776 to 1783.

Military Service

Before his long political career, Theophilus Blakeney was a soldier. He served as a Captain in the Royal Sussex Regiment, which was part of the British army.

Battles in North America

In 1761, Captain Blakeney fought in important battles in North America. He was part of the British forces at Quebec and Staten Island. These were significant events during that time.

Other Important Roles

Besides being an MP and a soldier, Theophilus Blakeney held other important positions in Ireland.

High Sheriff of County Galway

In 1763, and again in 1776, he was named High Sheriff of County Galway. A High Sheriff was a very important official in a county. They were responsible for keeping law and order and helping with legal matters.

Surveyor General for Connacht

From 1772, Theophilus Blakeney also worked as the Surveyor General for Connacht. A Surveyor General was in charge of surveying land and mapping out areas. This was a crucial job for managing land and resources.

Family Life

Theophilus Blakeney married Margaret Stafford in 1782. She was from Gillstown in County Roscommon.

Children and Grandchildren

Theophilus and Margaret had a son named John Henry Blakeney. They also had a daughter named Bridget. Bridget later married Sir Richard St George, 2nd Baronet, and they had several children.