Henry Bruen (1789–1852)
Encyclopedia
Colonel Henry Bruen was an Irish
Tory Party (and later Conservative Party
) politician
. He was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Carlow County
for a total of about 36 years, in three separate periods between 1812 and 1852, taking his seat in the House of Commons of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
.
Bruen was elected at the 1812 general election
as MP for Carlow county, and was then returned unopposed at the next three general elections. He won a contested election in 1830
, but did not stand at the 1831 general election
. He stood again in 1832
, but did not win either of Carlow's two seats. He regained a seat at the general election in January 1835
, but the 1835 election in Carlow was overturned on petition, and Bruen lost his seat in the resulting by-election
in 15 June. However, the by-election was itself the subject of a petition, and the result was overturned, with Bruen being returned to Westminster
, along with his father-in-law, fellow Conservative Thomas Kavanagh.
He did not win a seat in 1837
, but returned to the House of Commons in 1840, when he won a by-election on 5 December after the death of the Liberal MP Nicholas Aylward Vigors
. He was then re-elected at the next three general elections, and died in office in November 1852 at the age of 63, five months after holding his seat at the general election in July
.
(1741–1795), and Dorothea Henrietta Knox. His father originally came from Boyle, County Roscommon
, but had moved in 1775 to Oak Park estate, near Carlow
town. The estate was inherited by Henry, and remained in the family until 1957.
In 1822 he married Anne Wandesforde Kavanagh, daughter of Thomas Kavanagh, The MacMorrough and Lady Elizabeth Butler. (Anne's younger half-brother was Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh
(1831–1889), the severely-disabled writer, politician and sportsman). They had three daughters and one son, Henry
(1828–1912), who was MP for Carlow County from 1857 to 1880.
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...
Tory Party (and later Conservative Party
Irish Conservative Party
The Irish Conservative Party, often called the Irish Tories, was one of the dominant Irish political parties in Ireland in the 19th century...
) politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
. He was 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 Carlow County
Carlow County (UK Parliament constituency)
Carlow County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, which from 1801 to 1885 returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and one MP from 1885 to 1922....
for a total of about 36 years, in three separate periods between 1812 and 1852, taking his seat in the House of Commons of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
.
Bruen was elected at the 1812 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1812
The election to the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1812 was the fourth general election to be held after the Union of Great Britain and Ireland....
as MP for Carlow county, and was then returned unopposed at the next three general elections. He won a contested election in 1830
United Kingdom general election, 1830
The 1830 United Kingdom general election, was triggered by the death of King George IV and produced the first parliament of the reign of his successor, William IV. Fought in the aftermath of the Swing Riots, it saw electoral reform become a major election issue...
, but did not stand at the 1831 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1831
The 1831 general election in the United Kingdom saw a landslide win by supporters of electoral reform, which was the major election issue. As a result it was the last unreformed election, as the Parliament which resulted ensured the passage of the Reform Act 1832. Polling was held from 28 April to...
. He stood again in 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....
, but did not win either of Carlow's two seats. He regained a seat at the general election in January 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...
, but the 1835 election in Carlow was overturned on petition, and Bruen lost his seat in the resulting by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 15 June. However, the by-election was itself the subject of a petition, and the result was overturned, with Bruen being returned to Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, along with his father-in-law, fellow Conservative Thomas Kavanagh.
He did not win a seat in 1837
United Kingdom general election, 1837
The 1837 United Kingdom general election saw Robert Peel's Conservatives close further on the position of the Whigs, who won their fourth election of the decade....
, but returned to the House of Commons in 1840, when he won a by-election on 5 December after the death of the Liberal MP Nicholas Aylward Vigors
Nicholas Aylward Vigors
Nicholas Aylward Vigors was an Irish zoologist and politician.Vigors was born at Old Leighlin, County Carlow. He studied at Trinity College, Oxford. He served in the army during the Peninsular War from 1809 to 1811. He then returned to Oxford, graduating with a B.A. in 1815 and in 1817 with an...
. He was then re-elected at the next three general elections, and died in office in November 1852 at the age of 63, five months after holding his seat at the general election in July
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
.
Family
Henry was the second son of Henry BruenHenry Bruen (1741–1795)
Henry Bruen was an Irish politician. In the pre-Act of Union Parliament of Ireland, he was Member of Parliament for Jamestown from 1783 to 1790, and then for Carlow County from 1790 until his death in 1795.- Family :...
(1741–1795), and Dorothea Henrietta Knox. His father originally came from Boyle, County Roscommon
Boyle, County Roscommon
Boyle is a town in County Roscommon, Ireland. It is located at the foot of the Curlew Mountains near Lough Key in the north of the county. Carrowkeel Megalithic Cemetery, the Drumanone Dolmen and the popular fishing lakes of Lough Arrow and Lough Gara are also close by...
, but had moved in 1775 to Oak Park estate, near Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
town. The estate was inherited by Henry, and remained in the family until 1957.
In 1822 he married Anne Wandesforde Kavanagh, daughter of Thomas Kavanagh, The MacMorrough and Lady Elizabeth Butler. (Anne's younger half-brother was Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh
Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh
Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh , Irish politician, son of Thomas Kavanagh, M.P., who traced his descent to the ancient Kings of Leinster , was born at Borris House, County Carlow, Ireland....
(1831–1889), the severely-disabled writer, politician and sportsman). They had three daughters and one son, Henry
Henry Bruen (1828–1912)
Henry Bruen PC, DL was an Irish Conservative Party politician. He was Member of Parliament for Carlow County from 1857 to 1880, taking his seat in the House of Commons of what was then the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
(1828–1912), who was MP for Carlow County from 1857 to 1880.