John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite
Encyclopedia
John Benn Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite (9 December 1798 – 3 April 1881), known as Sir John Walsh, Bt, between 1825 and 1868, was a British
politician.
Park, near Bracknell
in Berkshire
, the only son of Sir John Walsh, 1st Baronet
, and Margaret, daughter of Joseph Fowke, of Bexley, Kent, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Walsh. His father was originally named John Benn but had assumed the surname of Walsh in lieu of his patronymic in 1795, in accordance with the will of his wife's uncle Sir John Walsh
(1726–1795), who left him a fortune made in India, including estates in Berkshire and Radnorshire, and also large holdings in Ireland , mainly in Cork and Kerry.
He was educated at Eton
and Christ Church, Oxford
, matriculating in 1816. He inherited the Radnorshire from his mother on attaining his majority in 1819 and also inherited his father's Cumbria estates on his death in 1825. By 1874 his total acreage in Radnorshire had reached 12,500. He also visited his Irish estates regularly over 40 years, and made great efforts to increase the profits. He had the reputation in Ireland of being a harsh and exacting landlord, but his diary shows that he saw himself as a benevolent overseer of his tenants, whom he rewarded for hard work, while ruthlessly evicting thise who would not work.
and High Sheriff of Radnorshire
for 1823. He then sat as Member of Parliament
for Sudbury
between 1830 and 1835 and 1838 and 1840 and for Radnorshire
between 1840 and 1868. He also served as Lord Lieutenant
and Custos Rotulorum of Radnorshire from 1842 to 1875. In 1868 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ormathwaite, of Ormathwaite in the County of Cumberland.
He issued numerous pamphlets, amongst which were:
, in 1825. They had two sons and two daughters. He died at Warfield in April 1881, aged 82, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Arthur
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
politician.
Early life
He was born at WarfieldWarfield
Warfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire and the Borough of Bracknell Forest.-Geography:Warfield is a mostly rural parish made up of a number of small settlements...
Park, near Bracknell
Bracknell
Bracknell is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It lies to the south-east of Reading, southwest of Windsor and west of central London...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, the only son of Sir John Walsh, 1st Baronet
Sir John Walsh, 1st Baronet
Sir John Benn Walsh, 1st Baronet was an English landowner and MP.He was born in Cumberland as John Benn, the only son of William Benn of Moor Row, Whitehaven, Cumberland and his wife Mary, daughter of Timothy Nicholson. In 1787 he married Margaret, daughter of Joseph Fowke of Kent...
, and Margaret, daughter of Joseph Fowke, of Bexley, Kent, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph Walsh. His father was originally named John Benn but had assumed the surname of Walsh in lieu of his patronymic in 1795, in accordance with the will of his wife's uncle Sir John Walsh
John Walsh (scientist)
John Walsh was a British scientist and Secretary to the Governor of Bengal.John was son of Joseph Walsh, Secretary to the Governor of Fort St. George and cousin to Nevil Maskelyne, the Astronomer Royal, and his sister Margaret, the wife of Lord Clive.He entered the English East India Company at a...
(1726–1795), who left him a fortune made in India, including estates in Berkshire and Radnorshire, and also large holdings in Ireland , mainly in Cork and Kerry.
He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, matriculating in 1816. He inherited the Radnorshire from his mother on attaining his majority in 1819 and also inherited his father's Cumbria estates on his death in 1825. By 1874 his total acreage in Radnorshire had reached 12,500. He also visited his Irish estates regularly over 40 years, and made great efforts to increase the profits. He had the reputation in Ireland of being a harsh and exacting landlord, but his diary shows that he saw himself as a benevolent overseer of his tenants, whom he rewarded for hard work, while ruthlessly evicting thise who would not work.
Political career
He served as High Sheriff of BerkshireHigh Sheriff of Berkshire
The High Sheriff of Berkshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times. The word Sheriff evolved from 'shire-reeve'....
and High Sheriff of Radnorshire
High Sheriff of Radnorshire
- History :The office of High Sheriff is over 1000 years old, with its establishment before the Norman Conquest. The Office of High Sheriff remained first in precedence in the counties until the reign of Edward VII when an Order in Council in 1908 gave the Lord-Lieutenant the prime office under the...
for 1823. He then sat 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,...
for Sudbury
Sudbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Sudbury was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. A parliamentary borough consisting of the town of Sudbury in Suffolk, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1559 until it was disenfranchised for corruption in 1844...
between 1830 and 1835 and 1838 and 1840 and for Radnorshire
Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Radnorshire was created in 1542 as a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918...
between 1840 and 1868. He also served as Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Radnorshire. After 1715, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Radnorshire...
and Custos Rotulorum of Radnorshire from 1842 to 1875. In 1868 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Ormathwaite, of Ormathwaite in the County of Cumberland.
He issued numerous pamphlets, amongst which were:
- The Poor Laws in Ireland (1830)
- Observations on the Ministerial Plan of Reform (1831)
- On the Present Balance of Parties in the State (1832)
- Chapters of Contemporary History (1836)
- Political Back-Games (1871)
- Astronomy and Geology Compared (1872)
- Lessons of the French Revolution, 1789-1872 (1873).
Family
Lord Ormathwaite married Jane, daughter of George Grey, 6th Earl of StamfordGeorge Grey, 6th Earl of Stamford
George Harry Grey, 6th Earl of Stamford and 2nd Earl of Warrington , styled Lord Grey from 1768 to 1819, was a British peer and politician....
, in 1825. They had two sons and two daughters. He died at Warfield in April 1881, aged 82, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, Arthur
Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite
Arthur Walsh, 2nd Baron Ormathwaite was a British politician, the son of John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite.He was elected as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Leominster in 1865, resigning in 1868 by becoming Steward of the Manor of Northstead...
.