Thomas Manners-Sutton, 1st Baron Manners
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Thomas Manners-Sutton, 1st Baron Manners PC
, KC (24 February 1756 – 31 May 1842), was a British
lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
from 1807 to 1827.
, third son of John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland
. His elder brother the Most Reverend Charles Manners-Sutton
was Archbishop of Canterbury
from 1805 to 1828 and the father of Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury
, Speaker of the House of Commons
from 1817 to 1834. His father had assumed the additional surname of Sutton on succeeding to the estates of his maternal grandfather Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton
. Manners-Sutton was educated at Charterhouse
and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
, and was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn
, in 1780.
for Newark
in 1796, a seat he held until 1805, and served under Henry Addington
as Solicitor-General
from 1802 to 1805. From 1800 to 1802 he was Solicitor General to the Prince of Wales
(later King George IV
).
In 1805 he became a Baron of the Exchequer, which he remained until 1807. The latter year he was admitted to the Privy Council
, raised to the peerage as Baron Manners, of Foston in the County of Lincoln, and appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
, in which position he served until 1827. A staunch protestant, Lord Manners was an opponent of Catholic emancipation
and argued against the Catholic Relief Act 1829
in the House of Lords. His unfamiliarity with Irish conditions led him to rely heavily on the Attorney-General for Ireland
, William Saurin
, who thereby acquired unprecedented power and virtually controlled the Dublin administration until his dismissal in 1822. Although opposed to Emancipation, Manners as a judge showed no bias against Catholics: indeed he handed down a landmark ruling in Walsh's case in 1823, that in Ireland as opposed to England a bequest for the saying of Mass
for the testators' soul was valid in law.
, acted as private chaplain to Lord Manners.
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, KC (24 February 1756 – 31 May 1842), was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
lawyer and politician who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
from 1807 to 1827.
Background and education
Manners-Sutton was the sixth son of Lord George Manners-SuttonLord George Manners-Sutton
Lord George Manners-Sutton , born Lord George Manners, was a British nobleman and politician, the third son of John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland.On 5 December 1749, he married Diana Chaplin Lord George Manners-Sutton (8 March 1723 – 7 January 1783, Kelham Hall), born Lord George Manners, was a...
, third son of John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland
John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland
John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland KG PC was an English nobleman, the eldest son of John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland and Catherine Russell...
. His elder brother the Most Reverend Charles Manners-Sutton
Charles Manners-Sutton
Charles Manners-Sutton was a priest in the Church of England who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 1805 to 1828.-Life:...
was Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
from 1805 to 1828 and the father of Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury
Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury GCB, PC was a British Tory politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1817 to 1835.-Background and education:...
, Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
from 1817 to 1834. His father had assumed the additional surname of Sutton on succeeding to the estates of his maternal grandfather Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton
Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton
Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton PC was an English diplomat.-Family:He was the son of Robert Sutton, 1st Baron Lexinton and his third wife Mary St. Leger.On 14 September 1691, he married Margaret Hungerford Robert Sutton, 2nd Baron Lexinton PC (6 January 1662 – 19 September 1723) was an English...
. Manners-Sutton was educated at Charterhouse
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College, Cambridge
Emmanuel College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.The college was founded in 1584 by Sir Walter Mildmay on the site of a Dominican friary...
, and was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, in 1780.
Political, legal and judicial career
Manners-Sutton was elected Member of ParliamentMember 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,...
for Newark
Newark (UK Parliament constituency)
Newark is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885, it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1796, a seat he held until 1805, and served under Henry Addington
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, PC was a British statesman, and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804....
as Solicitor-General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
from 1802 to 1805. From 1800 to 1802 he was Solicitor General to the Prince of Wales
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
(later King George IV
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
).
In 1805 he became a Baron of the Exchequer, which he remained until 1807. The latter year he was admitted to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, raised to the peerage as Baron Manners, of Foston in the County of Lincoln, and appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
, in which position he served until 1827. A staunch protestant, Lord Manners was an opponent of Catholic emancipation
Catholic 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 argued against the Catholic Relief Act 1829
Catholic Relief Act 1829
The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 24 March 1829, and received Royal Assent on 13 April. It was the culmination of the process of Catholic Emancipation throughout the nation...
in the House of Lords. His unfamiliarity with Irish conditions led him to rely heavily on the Attorney-General for Ireland
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...
, William Saurin
William Saurin
William Saurin was an Irish lawyer and politician. He was Attorney-General for Ireland from 1807 to 1822, and for much of that period effective head of the Irish administration.-Background and education:...
, who thereby acquired unprecedented power and virtually controlled the Dublin administration until his dismissal in 1822. Although opposed to Emancipation, Manners as a judge showed no bias against Catholics: indeed he handed down a landmark ruling in Walsh's case in 1823, that in Ireland as opposed to England a bequest for the saying of Mass
Mass bequest
A bedquest for a Mass is when a person leaves a bequest in their will for a Mass to be said for the repose of their soul....
for the testators' soul was valid in law.
Family
Lord Manners married firstly, Anne Copley, daughter of Sir Joseph Copley, 1st Baronet, of Sprotborough, in 1803. They had no children. After his wife's death in 1814 he married secondly the Honourable Jane Butler, daughter of James Butler, 9th Baron Cahir. They had one son, John Manners-Sutton. Lord Manners died in May 1842, aged 86, and was succeeded in the barony by his only son, John. A family relation, Evelyn Levett Sutton, graduate of Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, acted as private chaplain to Lord Manners.