Louis Perrin
Encyclopedia
Louis Perrin PC was an Irish
barrister
, politician and judge.
, the son of was Jean Baptiste Perrin
(fl. 1786).
Louis Perrin was educated at the diocesan school at Armagh
. Removing to Trinity College, Dublin
, he gained a scholarship there in 1799, and graduated B.A. in 1801. At the trial of his fellow-student, Robert Emmet
, in 1803, when sentence of death was pronounced, Perrin rushed forward in the court and warmly embraced the prisoner. He devoted himself with great energy to the study of mercantile law; in Hilary term 1806 was called to the bar, and was soon much employed in cases where penalties for breaches of the revenue laws were sought to be enforced. When Watty Cox, the proprietor and publisher of ‘Cox's Magazine,’ was prosecuted by the government for a libel in 1811, O'Connell, Burke, Bethel, and Perrin were employed for the defence; but the case was practically conducted by the junior, who showed marked ability in the matter. He was also junior counsel, in 1811, in the prosecution of Sheridan, Kirwan, and the catholic delegates for violating the Convention Act. In 1832 he became a bencher of King's Inns, Dublin.
, and acquired the sobriquet of ‘Honest Louis Perrin.’ On 6 May 1831, in conjunction with Sir Robert Harty, he was elected as Member of Parliament
(MP) for Dublin City
. Being unseated in August, he was returned to the House of Commons for Monaghan
at the general election on 24 December 1832
, displacing Henry Robert Westenra
, the previous Tory member. At the next general election, in 1835
, he came in for the city of Cashel
, on 14 January 1835, but resigned in the following August, to take his seat on the bench. In the House of Commons he strove to prevent grand jury
jobbery, and made an able speech on introducing the Irish municipal reform bill; and he was untiring in his efforts to check intemperance by advocating regulations closing public house
s at eleven o'clock at night.
From 7 February 1832 to February 1835 he was third serjeant-at-law, from February to April 1835 first serjeant, and on 29 April 1835, on the recommendation of the Marquis of Normanby, he succeeded Francis Blackburne
as attorney-general
. While a serjeant he presided over the inquiry into the old Irish corporations, and on his report the Irish Municipal Act was founded. After the death of Thomas B. Vandeleur, he was appointed a puisne justice of the king's bench, Ireland, on 31 August 1835. In the same year he was gazetted a privy councillor
. He was most painstaking in the discharge of his important functions; and, despite some peculiarities of manner, may be regarded as one of the most able and upright judges who have sat on the Irish bench. He resigned on a pension in February 1860, and resided near Rush, County Dublin, where he frequently attended the petty sessions.
He died at Knockdromin, near Rush, on 7 December 1864, and was buried at Rush, on 10 December.
in 1857; Louis, rector of Garrycloyne, Blarney, County Cork; William, chief registrar of the Irish court of bankruptcy (d 1892); Charles, major of the 66th foot from 1865; and Mark, registrar of judgments in Ireland.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, politician and judge.
Early life
Perrin was born in WaterfordWaterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, the son of was Jean Baptiste Perrin
Jean Baptiste Perrin
Jean Baptiste Perrin was a French physicist and Nobel laureate.-Early years:Born in Lille, France, Perrin attended the École Normale Supérieure, the elite grande école in Paris. He became an assistant at the school during the period of 1894-97 when he began the study of cathode rays and X-rays...
(fl. 1786).
Louis Perrin was educated at the diocesan school at Armagh
Armagh
Armagh is a large settlement in Northern Ireland, and the county town of County Armagh. It is a site of historical importance for both Celtic paganism and Christianity and is the seat, for both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland, of the Archbishop of Armagh...
. Removing to Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, he gained a scholarship there in 1799, and graduated B.A. in 1801. At the trial of his fellow-student, Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet
Robert Emmet was an Irish nationalist and Republican, orator and rebel leader born in Dublin, Ireland...
, in 1803, when sentence of death was pronounced, Perrin rushed forward in the court and warmly embraced the prisoner. He devoted himself with great energy to the study of mercantile law; in Hilary term 1806 was called to the bar, and was soon much employed in cases where penalties for breaches of the revenue laws were sought to be enforced. When Watty Cox, the proprietor and publisher of ‘Cox's Magazine,’ was prosecuted by the government for a libel in 1811, O'Connell, Burke, Bethel, and Perrin were employed for the defence; but the case was practically conducted by the junior, who showed marked ability in the matter. He was also junior counsel, in 1811, in the prosecution of Sheridan, Kirwan, and the catholic delegates for violating the Convention Act. In 1832 he became a bencher of King's Inns, Dublin.
Politics
He was a whig in politics, supported catholic emancipationCatholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
, and acquired the sobriquet of ‘Honest Louis Perrin.’ On 6 May 1831, in conjunction with Sir Robert Harty, he was elected as 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 Dublin City
Dublin City (UK Parliament constituency)
Dublin City was an Irish Borough constituency in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It comprised the city of Dublin in the county of Dublin, and was represented by two Members of Parliament from its creation in 1801 until 1885.In 1885, Dublin City was split...
. Being unseated in August, he was returned to the House of Commons for Monaghan
Monaghan (UK Parliament constituency)
Monaghan is a former parliamentary constituency in Ireland, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.-Members of Parliament:-References:...
at the general election on 24 December 1832
United Kingdom general election, 1832
-Seats summary:-Parties and leaders at the general election:The Earl Grey had been Prime Minister since 22 November 1830. His was the first predominantly Whig administration since the Ministry of all the Talents in 1806-1807....
, displacing Henry Robert Westenra
Henry Westenra, 3rd Baron Rossmore
Henry Robert Westenra, 3rd Baron Rossmore of Monaghan was an Anglo-Irish Member of Parliament and peer, from 1843 to 1852 Lord Lieutenant of Monaghan.-Life:...
, the previous Tory member. At the next general election, in 1835
United Kingdom general election, 1835
The 1835 United Kingdom general election was called when Parliament was dissolved on 29 December 1834. Polling took place between 6 January and 6 February 1835, and the results saw Robert Peel's Conservatives make large gains from their low of the 1832 election, but the Whigs maintained a large...
, he came in for the city of Cashel
Cashel (UK Parliament constituency)
Cashel is a former British 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....
, on 14 January 1835, but resigned in the following August, to take his seat on the bench. In the House of Commons he strove to prevent grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
jobbery, and made an able speech on introducing the Irish municipal reform bill; and he was untiring in his efforts to check intemperance by advocating regulations closing public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
s at eleven o'clock at night.
From 7 February 1832 to February 1835 he was third serjeant-at-law, from February to April 1835 first serjeant, and on 29 April 1835, on the recommendation of the Marquis of Normanby, he succeeded Francis Blackburne
Francis Blackburne
Francis Blackburne PC KS was an Irish judge and eventually became Lord Chancellor of Ireland.-Background:...
as attorney-general
Attorney-General for Ireland
The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...
. While a serjeant he presided over the inquiry into the old Irish corporations, and on his report the Irish Municipal Act was founded. After the death of Thomas B. Vandeleur, he was appointed a puisne justice of the king's bench, Ireland, on 31 August 1835. In the same year he was gazetted a privy councillor
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...
. He was most painstaking in the discharge of his important functions; and, despite some peculiarities of manner, may be regarded as one of the most able and upright judges who have sat on the Irish bench. He resigned on a pension in February 1860, and resided near Rush, County Dublin, where he frequently attended the petty sessions.
He died at Knockdromin, near Rush, on 7 December 1864, and was buried at Rush, on 10 December.
Family
He married, in April 1815, Hester Connor, daughter of the Rev. Abraham Augustus Stewart, chaplain to the Royal Hibernian School, Dublin, by whom he had seven sons, including James, a major in the army, who fell at LucknowSiege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
in 1857; Louis, rector of Garrycloyne, Blarney, County Cork; William, chief registrar of the Irish court of bankruptcy (d 1892); Charles, major of the 66th foot from 1865; and Mark, registrar of judgments in Ireland.