Henry Bruen (3.10.1789-5.11.1852)

MP for CARLOW COUNTY, IRELAND (1812-31, 1835-1837 and 1840-53)

From Carlow 22.6.1828 to Mrs Otley, 37 Park Street, Bath. Of Oak Park, Carlow, Ireland.

Married Anne daughter of Thomas Kavanagh of Borris House, another Co. Carlow MP.

 

Nov. 5, 1852. At Old Park, co. Carlow, after a few days' illness, in his 62nd year, Henry Bruen, esq. M.P. for the co. Carlow, and Colonel commandant of its Militia. Colonel Bruen was educated with Sir Robert Peel, Lord Byron, and some of the greatest statesmen and scholars of the age, at Harrow; and he subsequently was a member of the university of Oxford, where he was distinguished for his classical acquirements, his taste for literature, and love of antiquarian research, for which he was in after life pre-eminently remarkable. He did not, however, proceed to a degree. He entered public life at an early period, having been returned to parliament as the representative of his native county in the year 1812, which position he occupied, with the exception of a brief interval, until the hour of his death. At five general elections he was returned without a contest, until, on the eve of Reform, at the election of 1830, the county, through the influence of Mr. O'Connell's party, returned two Whigs (Walter Blakeney, esq. and Sir John Milley Doyle), in the place of Colonel Bruen and his father-in-law Mr. Kavanagh. There was no poll on this occasion but in 1832, the first election after the enactment of Reform, the former members were proposed, and defeated by the Liberal candidates, Mr. Blakeney and Mr. Wallace, who both polled 657 votes, Colonel Bruen 483, and Mr. Kavanagh 470. In Jan. 1835 Colonel Bruen and Mr. Kavanagh were returned, polling respectively 588 and 587 votes, Mr. Maurice O'Connell 554, and Mr. Cahill 553 ; but this election was declared void on a petition ; when in June Mr. Vigors and Mr. Raphael were returned by 627 and 626 votes, Mr. Kavanagh and Colonel Bruen recording 572 and 571.

 

This was the election rendered memorable by the large expense incurred for Mr. Raphael by Mr. O'Connell, which was subsequently the subject of public exposure and animadversion. On petition, a committee of the House struck off 105 votes, and thereby reseated Mr. Kavanagh and Colonel Bruen.

At the general election in 1837 the Liberal candidates, Mr. Vigors and Mr. Ashton Yates, were successful, polling 730 votes, Colonel Bruen and Mr. Bunbury having only 643. Mr. Kavanagh had died in February preceding; but on the death of Mr. Vigors, in December, 1840, Colonel Bruen recovered his seat, defeating the Hon. Frederick Ponsonby with 722 votes to 555.

At the election of 1841 the result of the poll was as follows :— Colonel Bruen .... 705, Thomas Bunbury, esq. . 704, John Ashton Yates, esq. . 697, Daniel O'Connell, jun. esq. 696.

In 1847 Colonel Bruen and Mr. W. B. M. Bunbury were elected without opposition; but in 1852 there was again a severe struggle, which terminated thus— John Ball, esq. ... 895, Colonel Bruen .... 893, W. B. M. Bunbury, esq. . 880, John Keogh, esq. . . 877.

As a public man Colonel Brueu possessed indomitable energy and fearless bearing, coupled with a highly cultivated mind, which commanded the respect of his opponents, and won the esteem and sincere attachment of his friends. He was a consistent Conservative, and voted for agricultural protection in 1846. Colonel Bruen married Anne, eldest daughter of Thomas Kavanagh, esq. of Borris, (long his colleague as county member,) by his first wife Lady Elizabeth Butler, sister to the Marquess of Ormonde, Mrs. Bruen died in Sept. 1830. He is succeeded in his extensive estates by his son, Henry Bruen, esq. [Gentleman’s Magazine]

 

At Old Park, ??. Carlow, after a few days' illness, in his 62nd year, Henry Bruen, esq., M.P. for the ??. Carlow, and Colonel commandant of its Militia. Colonel Bruen was educated with Sir Robert Peel, Lord Byron, and some of the greater statesmen and scholars of the age, at Harrow ; and he subsequently was a member of the University of Oxford, where he was distinguished for his classical acquirements, his taste for literature, and love of antiquarian research, for which he was in after life pre-eminently remarkable. He entered public life at an early period, having been returned to Parliament as the representative of his native county in the year 1812, which position he occupied, with the exception of a brief interval, until the hour of his death. The election for Carlow, in 1835, was rendered memorable by the large expense incurred for Mr. Raphael by Mr. O'Conucll, which was subsequently the subject of public exposure and animadversion. Mr. Vigors and Mr. Raphael were returned, but were unseated on petition, and their competitors, Mr. Kavanagh and Colonel Bruen. were placed in their seats. As a public man Colonel Bruen possessed indomitable energy and fearless bearing, coupled with a highly-cultivated mind, which commanded the respect of his opponents, and won the esteem and sincere attachment of his friends. [Annual Register 5.11.1852]

 

About a mile and a half from the town of Carlow is Oak Park, the mansion of Henry Bruen, Esq., certainly the finest place in this neighbourhood. The house is not large, but tastefully built, in the Grecian style of architecture, and the entrance very massive, and well designed. This opens on a demesne, containing no less than thirteen hundred acres, beautifully wooded ; and, owing to the taste and munificence of the father of the present owner, the late Colonel Bruen, the windows of the mansion command a varied prospect, for water combines with wood to beautify the landscape. This gentleman spent a considerable sum in forming the artificial lake, which is well planned, and in conjunction with a hill of considerable altitude, much increases the beauty of the surrounding scenery. On the opposite side of the Dublin-road is a deer park, containing about five hundred acres, and we have often seen the antlered denizens ranging from covert to covert, heedless of the short span of life allotted to them. [Dublin University Magazine 1855]

 

We are all sensible of the necessity of returning such members to Parliament as are most likely to promote the best interests of the country at large, and of our county and town in particular. Of the three candidates who at present claim our suffrages, two only can be returned—one must be rejected. Let us examine their
respective merits in order to come to a just determination." Re-ferring to Henry Bruen, who had represented Carlow since 1812, Mr. Doyle went on to say : "One of them is a resident amongst us; he expends a large fortune—if not in the employment of the tradesman and the labourer, in the promotion of the arts and industry, or in administering to the relief of the widow and the orphan—yet he spends it at the table or on the turf, and thus, while ministering to his own pleasures, serves, in some measure, the country where he dwells. I admit that we are little interested in his private habits, nor should the situation of his ragged tenantry have great influence on our votes, if he possessed the qualities which one should require in a representative. His residence in Ireland (which seems to be the only claim put forward on his behalf by his friends) may be a good reason why he ought to rank high upon a grand jury, or take the chair at a public assembly, if he were in the habit of attending either; but it seems to be no reason why we should select him to promote the interests of our country in Parliament.

I would anxiously inquire of this gentleman what good has he effected, what evil has he prevented, what useful or honourable vote has he given in his place, for the last six years? Has he advocated the liberties of the subject, or opposed the suspension of the charter of our freedom? Has he detailed the sufferings of Ireland? has he refuted the calumnies of her enemies? has he ever attempted to promote her interests, or ever used his parliamentary interest for the benefit of our town or county? No! What are his claims, then? They are of a most secret nature indeed. We should search the back benches of the treasury retainers to discover them, if they exist. Such a man is not fit to be our representative." [Rev Dr Doyle 1818]

 

Married daughter of T. Kavanagh, esq., of Borris. Is colonel of the Carlow Militia, A Conservative; voted for agricultural protection, 1846. Sat for the county in the Parliaments of 1830 and 1831, but lost his seat in I832. Was petitioned against in Feb. 1835, and election declared void; on the new writ being issued, Messrs. Vigors and Raphael were returned at the head of the poll, but unseated on petition by Col. Bruen and Mr. Kavanagh. In 1840, on the death of Mr. Vigors, was again returned for the county. 3, Suffolk-st. ; Carlton; Oak Park, co. Carlow.

Thomas Kavanagh. (1767-1837)

MP for CARLOW COUNTY, IRELAND (1826-31, & 1835-37)

From London 1.6.1836 to William Morris Esq., Exeter, Devon.

Descended from the Kings of Leinster. Of Borris House, Co. Carlow.

 

Died, Jan 20,1837. At his seat, Borris-house, co. Carlow, aged 69, Thomas Kavanagh, esq., M.P. for that county ; brother-in-law to the marquess of Ormonde, and son-in-law to the earl of Clancarty. He was the son and heir of Thomas Kavanagh, esq., by Susan, sister to John, 17th earl of Ormonde. His family was, that of the native kings of Leinster, a fact acknowledged in the reign of queen Mary, who created the Kavanagh of that day Baron Ballyane, styling him in the patent  “Princeps suae nationis.” He entered at an early period of life into the Austrian service, (in which several of his relatives, including his uncle, field marshal O'Kavanagh, governor of Prague, had been highly distinguished), and served throughout the war. On the death of his father, he became one of the largest landed proprietors in Ireland, inheriting extensive and valuable estates spread over the counties of Carlow, Wexford, and Kilkenny. —

Mr. Kavanagh was first returned to Parliament for the county of Carlow in 1826, and he continued to represent the county, in conjunction with his son-in-law, colonel Bruen, until at the election of 1831, he was defeated by the papistical faction under the patronage of O'Connell. At the election of 1832, Mr. Kavanagh and colonel Bruen were again unsuccessful; in 1835, they were returned, but their election determined to be void. At the re-election, occurred the memorable contest with Mr. Vigors, and ex-sheriff Raphael ; memorable for the £1000 paid by the latter to O'Connell, and for the long-protracted contest before another 4committee of the House. The retirement of the sitting members at length restored Mr. Kavanagh and colonel Bruen to their seats.

Mr. Kavanagh was twice married; first, to his cousin-german lady Elizabeth Butler, daughter of John, 17th earl of Ormond, second, to lady Harriet-Margaret Le Poer-Trench, second daughter of Richard, second and present earl of Clancarty. He has left a son and heir, yet a minor. On the 7th February, his body was conveyed from Borris-house to the family vault at St. Mullins. There were twenty-one clergymen of the established church in attendance, and on arriving at the burial ground, there could not be less than 10,000 persons present. [Annual register 1837]