Samuel Cunningham PC (Ire)

Privy Council of Ireland

The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...

 (14 October 1862 – 23 August 1946) was a Northern Irish

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 businessman, stockbroker and politician.

Cunningham was born at Fernhill House, Glencairn, Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

, and educated at Belfast Academy and at Merchiston Castle School

Merchiston Castle School

Merchiston Castle School is an independent school for boys in the village of Colinton in Edinburgh, Scotland. It has about 480 pupils and is open to boys between the ages of 8 and 18 as either boarders or day pupils; day pupils make up 35% of the school....

, Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

. He became a stockbroker with his father, Josias's, firm in Belfast, but also acquired business interests, becoming chairman of The Northern Whig

The Northern Whig

The Northern Whig is a bar housed in a historical building in Belfast, Northern Ireland.It is situated in the Cathedral Quarter, just to the north of the city centre...

newspaper and the tobacco

Tobacco

Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...

 firm Murray Sons & Co Ltd.

Cunningham was appointed to the Privy Council of Ireland

Privy Council of Ireland

The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...

 in the 1920 New Year Honours following his membership of the Housing Committee on Finance, entitling him to the style "The Right Honourable". He was elected to the Senate

Senate of Northern Ireland

The Senate of Northern Ireland was the upper house of the Parliament of Northern Ireland created by the Government of Ireland Act 1920. It was abolished with the passing of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.-Powers:...

 of the Parliament of Northern Ireland

Parliament of Northern Ireland

The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended...

 on its formation in 1921 and served until 1945.

His sons included the politicians James Glencairn Cunningham

James Glencairn Cunningham

James Glencairn Cunningham was a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Cunningham was from an Ulster family; his father was Samuel Cunningham, and his younger brother was Knox Cunningham. He was sent to the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, and then to Fettes College in Edinburgh...

 and Knox Cunningham

Knox Cunningham

Sir Samuel Knox Cunningham, 1st Baronet, QC was a Northern Irish Barrister, businessman and politician. As an Ulster Unionist politician at a time when the Unionists were part of the Conservative Party, he was also a significant figure in United Kingdom politics as Parliamentary Private Secretary...

.