John FitzGerald, Baron FitzGerald

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For the hereditary Barony of FitzGerald, see William Vesey-FitzGerald, 2nd Baron FitzGerald and Vesey.

The arms of Fitzgerald: Ermine a Mascle Or over all a Saltire Gules [1]

John David FitzGerald, Baron FitzGerald, PC, PC (Ire) (1 May 1816 – 16 October 1889)[2] was an Irish judge and Liberal politician.

Background[]

Born in Dublin, he was the son of the merchant David FitzGerald and his wife Catherine, eldest daughter of David Leahy.[3] His sister Kate was married to Charles Robert Barry and his youngest sister Emily to Denis Caulfield Heron.[4] FitzGerald was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and was called to the bar by King's Inns in 1838.[3] In 1870, he received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by the University of Dublin.[5]

Career[]

FitzGerald became a Queen's Counsel in 1847 and was judge of the Munster circuit.[3] He entered the House of Commons in 1852, sitting for Ennis the next eight years.[6] In 1855, FitzGerald was first elected a bencher, then nominated Solicitor-General for Ireland.[5] He became Attorney-General for Ireland a year later, on which appointment he was sworn of the Privy Council of Ireland.[3] FitzGerald held the former post until 1858 and after a break for a year, again until 1860, when he was appointed Judge on the Court of Queen's Bench (Ireland).[5] On 23 June 1882, he was created a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary with the title Baron FitzGerald, of Kilmarnock, in the County of Dublin.[7] Six days later, he was additionally sworn of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.[5]

Judgements[]

  • Foakes v Beer [1884] UKHL 1, [1881-85] All ER Rep 106, (1884) 9 App Cas 605; 54 LJQB 130; 51 LT 833; 33 WR 233 - a leading case from the House of Lords on the legal concept of consideration

Family[]

In 1846, he married firstly Rose, second daughter of John O'Donohue, and had by her three sons.[8] She died in 1850 and FitzGerald remarried Hon. Jane Matilda Mary, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Francis Southwell and Mary Ann Agnes Dillon and sister of Thomas Southwell, 4th Viscount Southwell.[8] By his second wife, he had four sons and six daughters.[8] Conservative politician Amber Rudd is his great-great-granddaughter.

References[]

  1. ^ http://www.cracroftspeerage.co.uk/online/content/fitzgeraldkil1882.htm
  2. ^ "Leigh Rayment - Peerage". Archived from the original on 8 June 2008. Retrieved 13 August 2009.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Dod, Robert P. (1860). The Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Whitaker and Co. p. 257.
  4. ^ O'Malley, Liam. The Law Faculty. Galway: National University of Ireland, Galway. p. 45.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Debrett, John (1886). Robert Henry Mair (ed.). Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench. London: Dean & Son. p. 284.
  6. ^ "Leigh Rayment - Baronetage, Ennis". Archived from the original on 29 November 2017. Retrieved 13 August 2009.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "No. 25119". The London Gazette. 20 June 1882. p. 2848.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "ThePeerage - John David FitzGerald, Baron FitzGerald of Kilmarnock". Retrieved 13 August 2009.

External links[]

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
James Patrick O'Gorman Mahon 		Member of Parliament for Ennis
1852 – 		Succeeded by
William Stacpoole
Legal offices
Preceded by
William Keogh 		Solicitor-General for Ireland
1855 – 1856 		Succeeded by
Jonathan Christian
Preceded by
William Keogh 		Attorney-General for Ireland
1856 – 1858 		Succeeded by
James Whiteside
Preceded by
James Whiteside 		Attorney-General for Ireland
1859 – 1860 		Succeeded by
Rickard Deasy
Retrieved from ""