Henry George Hughes
Encyclopedia
Henry George Hughes was an Irish judge, politician, and third Baron of the Court of Exchequer
. In 1850 he was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland
. He was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Longford
in 1856.
in 1825, but did not proceed to a degree. He entered the King's Inn in 1830, and Gray's Inn
in 1832 . He was called to the Irish bar in 1834, Queen's Counsel in 1844.
He practiced at the Chancery Bar and rapidly built up a very large practice; he became renowned for his mastery of Chancery procedure, which was then very complex. His book Chancery Practice (1837) enjoyed success. He was equally successful at the Inner Bar.
in 1855. He was a Roman Catholic and could generally rely on the support of the Catholic hierarchy, although his support for the Ecclesiastical Titles Act offended some of his co-relgionists.
His appointment to the Bench was well -deserved, but is said to have been partly the result of a policy to increase the number of Catholic judges. The appointment of such a noted Chancery lawyer to a common-law court caused some surprise, but in time he was recognised as one of the few lawyers who had successfully made the transition.
.He died at Bray in 1872.
Exchequer of Ireland
The Exchequer of Ireland was a body in the Kingdom of Ireland tasked with collecting royal revenue. Modelled on the English Exchequer, it was created in 1210 after John of England applied English law and legal structure to the Kingdom of Ireland...
. In 1850 he was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland
Solicitor-General for Ireland
The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. At least one holder of the office, Patrick Barnewall played a significant role in...
. He was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Longford
Longford (UK Parliament constituency)
Longford was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885, and one MP from 1918–1922.- MPs 1801–1885 :- MPs 1918–1922 :...
in 1856.
Background and early career
He was born in Dublin, son of James Hughes, solicitor and Margaret Morton. He went to a private school at Jervis St., Dublin and matriculated at the University of DublinUniversity of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
in 1825, but did not proceed to a degree. He entered the King's Inn in 1830, and Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1832 . He was called to the Irish bar in 1834, Queen's Counsel in 1844.
He practiced at the Chancery Bar and rapidly built up a very large practice; he became renowned for his mastery of Chancery procedure, which was then very complex. His book Chancery Practice (1837) enjoyed success. He was equally successful at the Inner Bar.
Political and legal career
Before entering Parliament for Longford he had stood unsuccessfully for CavanCavan
Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
in 1855. He was a Roman Catholic and could generally rely on the support of the Catholic hierarchy, although his support for the Ecclesiastical Titles Act offended some of his co-relgionists.
His appointment to the Bench was well -deserved, but is said to have been partly the result of a policy to increase the number of Catholic judges. The appointment of such a noted Chancery lawyer to a common-law court caused some surprise, but in time he was recognised as one of the few lawyers who had successfully made the transition.
Family
He married Isabella l'Estrange, daughter of Major Francis l'Estrange. They had two daughters, of whom Anna, the elder, married the future Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, Michael Morris, 1st Baron KillaninMichael Morris, 1st Baron Killanin
Michael Morris, 1st Baron Killanin PC, QC , known as Sir Michael Morris, Bt, from 1885 to 1889 and as The Lord Morris between 1889 and 1900, was an Irish lawyer and judge...
.He died at Bray in 1872.