Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon
Encyclopedia
Henry Boyle, 3rd Earl of Shannon KP, PC (Ire)
(8 August 1771 – 22 April 1842), styled Viscount Boyle from 1764 until 1807, was among the last surviving Members of the Parliament of Ireland
. He represented Cork County
in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
from 1801 to 1807. He then briefly served as Member of Parliament for Bandon
in 1807, succeeding as Earl of Shannon
later in the same year. He served as Custos rotulorum
for County Cork
from 1807 to his death. He was the first Lord Lieutenant of Cork
from 1831 to his death.
and Catherine Ponsonby.
His sister Catherine Henrietta Boyle married Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
. Their maternal grandparents were John Ponsonby, Speaker
of the Irish House of Commons
from 1756 to 1771, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Cavendish. Lady Elizabeth was a daughter of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire
and his wife Catherine Hoskins. Her maternal grandparents were John Hoskins and Catherine Hale.
. He represented the borough of Clonakilty
in the Irish Parliament from 1793 until 1797 and then Cork County
from 1797 until the Act of Union in 1801. In 1798, he was also elected for Rathcormack
, however chose not to sit. According to his obituary in The Gentleman's Magazine
, Boyle "took an active part in arming the yeomanry
in Ireland
." On 31 October 1796 Boyle was commissioned Captain of five different units, those of Castlemartyr
, Cloyne
, Cove, Imokilly and Middleton. At the time the Kingdom of Great Britain
and the Kingdom of Ireland
were under personal union
. The Yeomanry were volunteer regiments raised in many counties from yeomen
. Their purpose was to strengthen the defense of the two Kingdoms which faced the threat of an invasion by the French First Republic
.
The Irish Rebellion of 1798
was assisted by a French invasion force under Jean Joseph Amable Humbert
. The rebellion and the invasion failed. In order to secure control of Ireland, the Parliament of Ireland and the Parliament of Great Britain
negotiated a merger of the two kingdoms. The Act of Union 1800
resulted in the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
. The final passage of the Act in the Irish Parliament was achieved with substantial majorities, achieved in part,according to contemporary documents, through bribery
, in the form of peerage
s and honour
s to critics to get their votes. Whereas the first attempt had been defeated in the Irish House of Commons
by 109 votes against to 104 for, the second vote in 1800 produced a result of 158 to 115. By agreement, Ireland gained 100 seats in the British House of Commons
and 32 seats in the House of Lords
: 28 representative peers elected for life, and four clergymen of the (Anglican
) Church of Ireland
, chosen for each session.
in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
from 1801 to 1807. There was no actual United Kingdom general election, 1801
. All members of the House of Commons entered it by right of their previous election to seats in Great Britain or Ireland. Cork County also had a second representative in the person of Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald
. They are both listed among the Members of the 1st UK Parliament from Ireland
. Boyle and Fitzgerald run unopposed in the United Kingdom general election, 1802
. They were both among the Members of the 2nd UK Parliament from Ireland
.
On 6 August 1803, Boyle was commissioned Captain of a sixth unit, that of Youghal
. During the 1st and 2nd Parliaments Boyle was not listed as either a Tory
or a Whig. However he ran as a Whig in the United Kingdom general election, 1806
. He was elected alongside George Ponsonby
, a fellow Whig. Their faction was at the time under the leadership of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
.
In the United Kingdom general election, 1807
, Boyle changed his constituency. Ponsonby and James Bernard
were elected in County Cork. On 15 May 1807, Boyle was elected Member of Parliament for Bandon
He succeeded Courtenay Boyle in the position. Henry was listed as a Tory in this occasion. Possibly indicating support for the political coalition led by William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
. On 18 May 1807, Boyle was also elected in Youghal
as a Whig. He succeeded James Bernard.
On 20 May 1807, the 2nd Earl of Shannon died. Henry succeeded him in his titles and left the House of Commons. He served as Custos rotulorum
for County Cork
from 1807 to his death. Shannon entered the Privy Council of Ireland
in 1808. That same year he became a Knight of St. Patrick. He was the first Lord Lieutenant of Cork
from 1831 to his death.
His death reportedly followed "an illness of nearly two years' duration".
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(8 August 1771 – 22 April 1842), styled Viscount Boyle from 1764 until 1807, was among the last surviving Members of the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
. He represented Cork County
Cork County (UK Parliament constituency)
Cork County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1801 to 1885 it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland....
in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1801 to 1807. He then briefly served as Member of Parliament for Bandon
Bandon (UK Parliament constituency)
Bandon was a Parliamentary constituency covering the town of Bandon in County Cork, Ireland...
in 1807, succeeding as Earl of Shannon
Earl of Shannon
Earl of Shannon is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1756 for the prominent Irish politician Henry Boyle, who served as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons and as Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer. He was made Viscount Boyle, of Bandon, and Baron Castle Martyr at the same time,...
later in the same year. He served as Custos rotulorum
Custos rotulorum
Custos rotulorum is the keeper of an English county's records and, by virtue of that office, the highest civil officer in the county...
for County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
from 1807 to his death. He was the first Lord Lieutenant of Cork
Lord Lieutenant of Cork
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of County Cork. The office was created on 23 August 1831. For people who served as Lieutenant of the city of Cork see Lord Lieutenant of the City of Cork....
from 1831 to his death.
Family
He was a son of Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of ShannonRichard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Shannon
Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Shannon KP, PC was an Irish peer and Member of Parliament. He represented Dungarvan and Cork County, and then succeeded his father as Earl of Shannon. -Family:...
and Catherine Ponsonby.
His sister Catherine Henrietta Boyle married Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon
Francis Bernard, 1st Earl of Bandon was an Irish peer and politician.He was the only son of James Bernard and his wife Esther Smith, daughter of Percy Smith. Between 1778 and 1783, Bernard sat as Member of Parliament for Ennis...
. Their maternal grandparents were John Ponsonby, Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
of the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
from 1756 to 1771, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Cavendish. Lady Elizabeth was a daughter of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, KG, PC was a British nobleman and Whig politician, the son of William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire and Hon. Rachel Russell....
and his wife Catherine Hoskins. Her maternal grandparents were John Hoskins and Catherine Hale.
Parliament of Ireland
Boyle was educated at Winchester CollegeWinchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. He represented the borough of Clonakilty
Clonakilty (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Clonakilty was a constituency in County Cork represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1800.-History:Established by a charter of King James I of England granting it to Sir Richard Boyle, it was purchased from Lord Burlington by Speaker Boyle in 1738 and he nominated the provost from three...
in the Irish Parliament from 1793 until 1797 and then Cork County
Cork County (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Cork County was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons to 1800.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:This constituency was the borough in County Cork. It returned two members to the Parliament of Ireland to 1800.-History:...
from 1797 until the Act of Union in 1801. In 1798, he was also elected for Rathcormack
Rathcormack (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Rathcormack was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons from 1611 to 1800. It was a mix of Potwalloping and a Manor Borough established by Charter and remained tied to the borough and surrounding area. The franchise was vested in the £5 and until 1793, Protestant Freeholders and...
, however chose not to sit. According to his obituary in The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine
The Gentleman's Magazine was founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term "magazine" for a periodical...
, Boyle "took an active part in arming the yeomanry
Yeomanry
Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Territorial Army, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units may serve in a variety of different military roles.-History:...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
." On 31 October 1796 Boyle was commissioned Captain of five different units, those of Castlemartyr
Castlemartyr
Castlemartyr is a village in east County Cork, Ireland. It is located 25 minutes east of Cork city, 10 km east of Midleton, 16 km west of Youghal and 6 km from the coast...
, Cloyne
Cloyne
Cloyne is a small town to the south-east of the town of Midleton in eastern County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is also a see city of the Anglican Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, while also giving its name to a Roman Catholic diocese...
, Cove, Imokilly and Middleton. At the time the Kingdom of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and the Kingdom of Ireland
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland refers to the country of Ireland in the period between the proclamation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 and the Act of Union in 1800. It replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171...
were under personal union
Personal union
A personal union is the combination by which two or more different states have the same monarch while their boundaries, their laws and their interests remain distinct. It should not be confused with a federation which is internationally considered a single state...
. The Yeomanry were volunteer regiments raised in many counties from yeomen
Yeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
. Their purpose was to strengthen the defense of the two Kingdoms which faced the threat of an invasion by the French First Republic
French First Republic
The French First Republic was founded on 22 September 1792, by the newly established National Convention. The First Republic lasted until the declaration of the First French Empire in 1804 under Napoleon I...
.
The Irish Rebellion of 1798
Irish Rebellion of 1798
The Irish Rebellion of 1798 , also known as the United Irishmen Rebellion , was an uprising in 1798, lasting several months, against British rule in Ireland...
was assisted by a French invasion force under Jean Joseph Amable Humbert
Jean Joseph Amable Humbert
General Jean Joseph Amable Humbert was a French soldier, a participant in the French Revolution, who led a failed invasion of Ireland to assist Irish rebels in 1798....
. The rebellion and the invasion failed. In order to secure control of Ireland, the Parliament of Ireland and the Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
negotiated a merger of the two kingdoms. The Act of Union 1800
Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 describe two complementary Acts, namely:* the Union with Ireland Act 1800 , an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and...
resulted in the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. The final passage of the Act in the Irish Parliament was achieved with substantial majorities, achieved in part,according to contemporary documents, through bribery
Bribery
Bribery, a form of corruption, is an act implying money or gift giving that alters the behavior of the recipient. Bribery constitutes a crime and is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or...
, in the form of peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
s and honour
Honour
Honour or honor is an abstract concept entailing a perceived quality of worthiness and respectability that affects both the social standing and the self-evaluation of an individual or corporate body such as a family, school, regiment or nation...
s to critics to get their votes. Whereas the first attempt had been defeated in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
by 109 votes against to 104 for, the second vote in 1800 produced a result of 158 to 115. By agreement, Ireland gained 100 seats in the British House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and 32 seats in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
: 28 representative peers elected for life, and four clergymen of the (Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
) Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, chosen for each session.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Boyle was among the new Members of the House of Commons, representing Cork CountyCork County (UK Parliament constituency)
Cork County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1801 to 1885 it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland....
in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from 1801 to 1807. There was no actual United Kingdom general election, 1801
United Kingdom general election, 1801
The United Kingdom general election, 1801 was not an election as such, but the co-option of members to serve in the first Parliament to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland on 1 January 1801...
. All members of the House of Commons entered it by right of their previous election to seats in Great Britain or Ireland. Cork County also had a second representative in the person of Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald
Robert Uniacke Fitzgerald
Colonel Robert Uniacke-FitzGerald was an Irish politician.Descended from the Munster Desmond FitzGerald Knights of Glin and Kerry, through Sir Garrett FitzGerald Knt of Lisquinlan and Sir Robert Tynte of Youghal and Ballycrenane...
. They are both listed among the Members of the 1st UK Parliament from Ireland
Members of the 1st UK Parliament from Ireland
This is a list of the Irish MPs who were co-opted from the former Parliament of Ireland, to serve as Members of the 1st UK Parliament from Ireland, or who were elected at subsequent by-elections...
. Boyle and Fitzgerald run unopposed in the United Kingdom general election, 1802
United Kingdom general election, 1802
The United Kingdom general election, 1802 was the election to the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
. They were both among the Members of the 2nd UK Parliament from Ireland
Members of the 2nd UK Parliament from Ireland
This is a list of the MPs for Irish constituencies, who were elected at the United Kingdom general election, 1802, to serve as Members of the 2nd UK Parliament from Ireland, or who were elected at subsequent by-elections...
.
On 6 August 1803, Boyle was commissioned Captain of a sixth unit, that of Youghal
Youghal
Youghal is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Sitting on the estuary of the River Blackwater, in the past it was militarily and economically important. Being built on the edge of a steep riverbank, the town has a distinctive long and narrow layout...
. During the 1st and 2nd Parliaments Boyle was not listed as either a Tory
Tories (political faction)
The Tories were members of two political parties which existed, sequentially, in the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from the 17th to the early 19th centuries.-Overview:...
or a Whig. However he ran as a Whig in the United Kingdom general election, 1806
United Kingdom general election, 1806
The United Kingdom general election, 1806 was the election of members to the 3rd Parliament of the United Kingdom. This was the second general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland....
. He was elected alongside George Ponsonby
George Ponsonby (politician)
George Ponsonby , styled The Honourable from 1806, was an Irish politician, who served as a Junior Lord of the Treasury in the governments under Earl Grey and Lord Melbourne from 1832 to 1834....
, a fellow Whig. Their faction was at the time under the leadership of Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
.
In the United Kingdom general election, 1807
United Kingdom general election, 1807
The election to the 4th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1807 was the third general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland....
, Boyle changed his constituency. Ponsonby and James Bernard
James Bernard, 2nd Earl of Bandon
James Bernard, 2nd Earl of Bandon was an Irish Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1820 and 1831 when he inherted the peerage and sat in the House of Lords....
were elected in County Cork. On 15 May 1807, Boyle was elected Member of Parliament for Bandon
Bandon (UK Parliament constituency)
Bandon was a Parliamentary constituency covering the town of Bandon in County Cork, Ireland...
He succeeded Courtenay Boyle in the position. Henry was listed as a Tory in this occasion. Possibly indicating support for the political coalition led by William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, KG, PC was a British Whig and Tory statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. He was known before 1762 by the courtesy title Marquess of Titchfield. He held a title of every degree of British nobility—Duke,...
. On 18 May 1807, Boyle was also elected in Youghal
Youghal (UK Parliament constituency)
Youghal was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:...
as a Whig. He succeeded James Bernard.
On 20 May 1807, the 2nd Earl of Shannon died. Henry succeeded him in his titles and left the House of Commons. He served as Custos rotulorum
Custos rotulorum
Custos rotulorum is the keeper of an English county's records and, by virtue of that office, the highest civil officer in the county...
for County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
from 1807 to his death. Shannon entered the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in 1808. That same year he became a Knight of St. Patrick. He was the first Lord Lieutenant of Cork
Lord Lieutenant of Cork
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of County Cork. The office was created on 23 August 1831. For people who served as Lieutenant of the city of Cork see Lord Lieutenant of the City of Cork....
from 1831 to his death.
His death reportedly followed "an illness of nearly two years' duration".
Marriage and children
On 7 June 1798, Boyle married Sarah Hyde, daughter of John Hyde of Castle Hyde. Her mother was Sarah Burton. Their twelve children were listed by order of birth in his obituary:- Lady Catharine Boyle, listed as "unmarried" in 1842.
- The HonourableThe HonourableThe prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Richard Boyle, "died an infant in 1803". - Lady Sarah Boyle, listed as "unmarried" in 1842.
- Lady Harriet Boyle, listed "deceased" in 1842.
- Lady Louisa Grace-Boyle, unmarried in 1842.
- Richard Boyle, 4th Earl of ShannonRichard Boyle, 4th Earl of ShannonRichard Boyle, 4th Earl of Shannon was a British politician of the Whig party. He served as Member of Parliament for Cork County from 1830 to 1832.-Career:...
(12 May 1809 - 1 August 1868). - Lady Jane Boyle, unmarried in 1842.
- Lady Elizabeth Boyle, unmarried in 1842.
- The Honourable Henry Charles Boyle, "Lieut. Royal Fusiliers". Married Catharine-Sophronia-Jane Ede in 1841.
- Lady Charlotte-Anne Boyle, unmarried in 1842.
- The Honourable Robert Francis Boyle, "born in 1818".
- Lady Frances Boyle, "died in 1824, aged four years".