Thomas Eyre Lambert facts for kids

Thomas Eyre Lambert (born April 25, 1820 – died 1919) was an Irish soldier and a landlord. He owned land and rented it out to farmers.

About Thomas Eyre Lambert

Thomas Eyre Lambert was the son of Walter Lambert and Anne Eyre. He became a captain in the 38th Foot army regiment. He was also a justice of the peace (J.P.) in County Galway, which meant he helped keep law and order. He was a descendant of John Lambert of Creg Clare, an important person from the past. In the late 1860s, he was involved in a serious event that became well-known across Ireland and beyond.

The Barrett Family and Their Farm

Captain Lambert took over his father's large estate in 1867. This estate was called Castle Lambert and was located near Athenry. In 1869, he asked the Barrett family to leave their farm at Moorepark, which was close to his castle. This act of asking tenants to leave their land is called an eviction.

People in the Athenry area tell a story about this time. During a fox hunt, someone asked if the Barretts' house belonged to Lambert's brother. When they found out it was just a farmer's home, the hunting group laughed. Soon after this, the Barrett family was evicted. They moved to a different place in Athenry called Swangate. News of the eviction reached Peter Barrett, one of the older children in the family. At that time, Peter was working as a postman in London.

An Incident at Castle Lambert

On the evening of July 11, 1869, Captain Lambert was walking home to Castle Lambert. He had been having dinner at his brother's house. As he walked, he met a man wearing a bowler hat hiding in the shadows. When Lambert asked the man to say who he was, the man stayed silent. Lambert then let his small dog go towards the man.

At this point, the man turned to Lambert and fired a gun five times from a short distance away. He then ran off through a group of trees. Lambert was injured by two bullets in his body and one near his forehead. Luckily, his hard hat protected him, likely saving his life. Lambert managed to get up and make his way to his house to get help. The local police, called the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC), quickly closed off the Athenry area to find the person responsible.

The Arrest and Trial

Shortly before 10 PM that same evening, Peter Barrett arrived at Athenry railway station. He bought a ticket to London. He then went to the Railway Hotel across the road. He kept asking staff what time it was, even though the hotel clock was easy to see. People noticed he was wearing a tall hat. He then got on a train going to Dublin.

There were not many police officers in Athenry that night. Many had been sent to Northern Ireland for other duties. However, a police officer named sub-constable Hayden was told about the incident in time. He boarded the train and noticed Peter Barrett. Since Barrett matched the description given by Captain Lambert, he was arrested. He was taken off the train at Woodlawn station. The next morning, Captain Lambert identified Peter Barrett as the person who had injured him.

The Court Case

The trial of Peter Barrett was held in Galway in September 1869. Peter Barrett was defended by a famous lawyer named Isaac Butt. Mr. Butt strongly questioned the evidence presented by the police. He found some parts of Captain Lambert's story that did not quite match up. He also showed that Lambert, who was a magistrate (a type of judge), had not shared some important facts. Mr. Butt's efforts made people question how reliable Captain Lambert's story was.

The jury, which is a group of citizens who decide if someone is guilty, could not agree on a decision. This meant a second trial had to be held in Dublin. By this time, newspapers and other media had reported a lot about the case. It became front-page news and a very public example of the "Irish question." This question was about important issues like the rights of farmers who rented land and the idea of Home Rule, which meant Ireland governing itself. For a second time, the jury could not agree on a decision. Because of this, all the charges against Peter Barrett were dropped.