Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet (25 August 1805 – 21 December 1876) was an Anglo-Irish
politician and landowner, who built Lissadell House
, located in County Sligo.
and went then to Queens' College, Cambridge
, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1826.
in 1850, having been elected for Sligo County
. Gore-Booth represented the constituency for twentysix years until his death. Having been a Deputy Lieutenant
from 1841, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Sligo
in 1868.
. She died a year later, and after another two years as widower, he remarried Caroline Susan, second daughter of Thomas Goold. His second wife died in 1855 and Gore-Booth survived her until 1876. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his second son Henry
.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
politician and landowner, who built Lissadell House
Lissadell House
Lissadell House is a neo-classical Greek revivalist style country house, located in County Sligo, Ireland.The house was built in the 1830s for Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet MP by London architect Francis Goodwin...
, located in County Sligo.
Background and education
Born at Bath, Somerset, he was the son of Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet and his wife Hannah, the daughter of Henry Irwin. In 1814, aged only nine, he succeeded his father as baronet. He was educated at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and went then to Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, graduating with a Master of Arts in 1826.
Career
During the period of the Great Irish famine, he was accused of evicting his starving tenant farmers and of packing them into coffin ships to emigrate. Contradictory reports state that he mortgaged his estates and assisted his tenants by both providing them with food and refusing to accept any rents during the famine. He entered the British House of CommonsBritish 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...
in 1850, having been elected for Sligo County
Sligo County (UK Parliament constituency)
Sligo County is a former county constituency in Ireland, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returned two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote system of election.-Boundaries:...
. Gore-Booth represented the constituency for twentysix years until his death. Having been a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
from 1841, he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Sligo
Lord Lieutenant of Sligo
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Sligo. The office was created on 23 August 1831.* Sir Francis Knox-Gore, 1st Baronet 5 December 1831 – December 1868* Sir Robert Gore-Booth, 4th Baronet 18 December 1868 – 21 December 1876...
in 1868.
Family
In 1827, Gore-Booth married firstly Caroline, the second daughter of Robert King, 1st Viscount LortonRobert King, 1st Viscount Lorton
General Robert Edward King, 1st Viscount Lorton , styled The Honourable from 1797 to 1800, was an Irish peer and politician....
. She died a year later, and after another two years as widower, he remarried Caroline Susan, second daughter of Thomas Goold. His second wife died in 1855 and Gore-Booth survived her until 1876. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his second son Henry
Sir Henry Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet
Sir Henry William Gore-Booth, 5th Baronet , was a notable Arctic explorer, adventurer and landowner from Lissadell House, Sligo, Ireland.-Antecedents:...
.