Giffard family of Drummartin Castle & Suffolk Street
John Giffard married Sarah Morton
born 14 Feb 1746 1769
Ballycorlan Ballyeacash
Wexford Wexford
died 5 May 1819 Died 1827
Drummartin Castle
John Giffard (Jack) was born in Wexford on 14 Feb 1846. He was the son of John Giffard of
Great Torrington in Devonshire and Dorcas Murrough (Murphy) of Oulart leigh, Wexford and
the grandson of John Giffard and Frances Fane of Brightley. His father was dis-inherited age
twelve and died when he was still an infant. His mother died while he was still quite young and
he was removed to Dublin to be brought up by Ambrose Hardinge who was a friend of his
father and a strict Calvinist. He was apprenticed to an apothecary and by 1771 was trading
from Fishamble street and later from Suffolk street. This account was written by his son, but
other sources suggest that he stayed in Wexford until 1771 after which time he had to leave,
having being horsewhipped by a Mr Miller after a brawl in the town. He married Sarah Morton,
the daughter of William Morton in June 1769 at Ballyeacash, Co Wexford. He joined the Irish
Volunteers but left after they admitted Roman Catholics and is accredited with the formation of
the Orange Society and for the use of the word 'Ascendancy' in its political sense. He was also
author of the poem Orange: A Political Rhapsody.
During a conversation on a coach, when some neighbours were discussing Robespierre and
comparing him to Cromwell. He remarked that he partly agreed but 'I could forgive Cromwell
everything but one thing' and that was his 'not having exterminated the Catholics from Ireland'.
He was promptly thrown out of the coach. He served twenty five years with the Corporation of
Dublin and was installed director of the City Watch which earned him the soubriquet 'The Dog in
Office'. He was church warden of Taney in 1791. He became Sheriff of Dublin in 1793 and in
1794 started a newspaper the Dublin Journal, that same year he attacked and assaulted James
Potts, owner of Saunders' News-Letter outside Taney Church after service. In 1803 he resigned
his commission with the Militia on the outbreak of Rebellion and applied to raise a corps of
Yeomenry in Dundrum, this was denied but he went ahead none the less.
He came into conflict with many of his peers including Sir Jonah Barrington. Grattan called him
'The hired traducer of his country, the excommunicated of his fellow citizens, the regal rebel, the
unpunished ruffian, the bigoted agitator. In the city, a fire-brand; in the court a liar; in the streets a
bully; in the field a coward.' In 1807 he was made Accountant General of Irish Customs from
which he retired in 1811. He died at his home Drummartin Castle on 5 May 1819.
1 Ambrose Hardinge Giffard born 1771, attended Trinity and passed the bar. He married
Harriet Pennell, daughter of Lovell Pennell, of Lyme Regis in 1808. He became Chief Justice
of Ceylon in 1819. He wrote a memoir on his father which was published under an assumed
name in the Gentleman's Magazine the same year. He died while on leave 30 Apr 1827 on
board the Lady Kennaway age 55.
1 Captain George Giffard, born 1815 was the Commander of The Leopard 1815
and died in 1888.
2 Harriet Giffard, eldest daughter born circa 1782 married Major George King of 7th Fusiliers.
George was killed at the taking of New Orleans in 1815. Harriet died 24 Jan 1859 at Hamilton,
Canada West age 77.
3 Stanley Lees Giffard born 1788 attended Trinity and passed the bar. He was made Collector
of Duties in Sligo County, and was dismissed from his office for squandering funds. He was
the author of 'Digest of the Irish Election Laws'. He abandoned Law and became editor of
The Standard newspaper. He was hostile to Catholic emancipation and was proud of his
father being a 'bigoted persecutor and an active zealous opponent to the claims of Roman
Catholics to Political power'. He married Susannah Meares Moran, daughter of Francis Moran
of Downhill, Mayo. He secondly married Mary Ann Giffard, daughter of Henry Giffard, RN.
He died at Folkestone, Kent in 1858.
1 Hardinge Stanley Giffard born 3 Sep 1825 became a British lawyer and Conservative
politician. He was the 1st Earl of Halsbury. He served thrice as Lord Chancellor of
Great Britain, for a total of seventeen years and died 11 Dec 1921.
4 Mary Lees Giffard, second daughter born circa 1789 married the Rev Richard Ryan at Taney
Church on 3 Aug 1814, he was curate of Taney from 1814 until 1820 when is became Vicar of
Rathcore. Rev Ryan was author of 'A digest of the Irish church temporalities act'. Mary died
October 1834 aged 45 at Enfield and Richar died at Rathcore 8 Jul 1837 and is buried in
Rathcore churchyard.
1 William Ryan baptised at Taney Church became a JP for Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin.
2 Sarah Ryan born Rathcore
3 Ellen Ryan born Rathcore
4 Anna Maria Ryan born Rathcore.
5 William Durrough Giffard, third son, was a lieutenant in the 32nd Regiment and was killed by
the insurgents during the 1798 Rebellion in Kildare.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2019
John Giffard married Sarah Morton
born 14 Feb 1746 1769
Ballycorlan Ballyeacash
Wexford Wexford
died 5 May 1819 Died 1827
Drummartin Castle
John Giffard (Jack) was born in Wexford on 14 Feb 1846. He was the son of John Giffard of
Great Torrington in Devonshire and Dorcas Murrough (Murphy) of Oulart leigh, Wexford and
the grandson of John Giffard and Frances Fane of Brightley. His father was dis-inherited age
twelve and died when he was still an infant. His mother died while he was still quite young and
he was removed to Dublin to be brought up by Ambrose Hardinge who was a friend of his
father and a strict Calvinist. He was apprenticed to an apothecary and by 1771 was trading
from Fishamble street and later from Suffolk street. This account was written by his son, but
other sources suggest that he stayed in Wexford until 1771 after which time he had to leave,
having being horsewhipped by a Mr Miller after a brawl in the town. He married Sarah Morton,
the daughter of William Morton in June 1769 at Ballyeacash, Co Wexford. He joined the Irish
Volunteers but left after they admitted Roman Catholics and is accredited with the formation of
the Orange Society and for the use of the word 'Ascendancy' in its political sense. He was also
author of the poem Orange: A Political Rhapsody.
During a conversation on a coach, when some neighbours were discussing Robespierre and
comparing him to Cromwell. He remarked that he partly agreed but 'I could forgive Cromwell
everything but one thing' and that was his 'not having exterminated the Catholics from Ireland'.
He was promptly thrown out of the coach. He served twenty five years with the Corporation of
Dublin and was installed director of the City Watch which earned him the soubriquet 'The Dog in
Office'. He was church warden of Taney in 1791. He became Sheriff of Dublin in 1793 and in
1794 started a newspaper the Dublin Journal, that same year he attacked and assaulted James
Potts, owner of Saunders' News-Letter outside Taney Church after service. In 1803 he resigned
his commission with the Militia on the outbreak of Rebellion and applied to raise a corps of
Yeomenry in Dundrum, this was denied but he went ahead none the less.
He came into conflict with many of his peers including Sir Jonah Barrington. Grattan called him
'The hired traducer of his country, the excommunicated of his fellow citizens, the regal rebel, the
unpunished ruffian, the bigoted agitator. In the city, a fire-brand; in the court a liar; in the streets a
bully; in the field a coward.' In 1807 he was made Accountant General of Irish Customs from
which he retired in 1811. He died at his home Drummartin Castle on 5 May 1819.
1 Ambrose Hardinge Giffard born 1771, attended Trinity and passed the bar. He married
Harriet Pennell, daughter of Lovell Pennell, of Lyme Regis in 1808. He became Chief Justice
of Ceylon in 1819. He wrote a memoir on his father which was published under an assumed
name in the Gentleman's Magazine the same year. He died while on leave 30 Apr 1827 on
board the Lady Kennaway age 55.
1 Captain George Giffard, born 1815 was the Commander of The Leopard 1815
and died in 1888.
2 Harriet Giffard, eldest daughter born circa 1782 married Major George King of 7th Fusiliers.
George was killed at the taking of New Orleans in 1815. Harriet died 24 Jan 1859 at Hamilton,
Canada West age 77.
3 Stanley Lees Giffard born 1788 attended Trinity and passed the bar. He was made Collector
of Duties in Sligo County, and was dismissed from his office for squandering funds. He was
the author of 'Digest of the Irish Election Laws'. He abandoned Law and became editor of
The Standard newspaper. He was hostile to Catholic emancipation and was proud of his
father being a 'bigoted persecutor and an active zealous opponent to the claims of Roman
Catholics to Political power'. He married Susannah Meares Moran, daughter of Francis Moran
of Downhill, Mayo. He secondly married Mary Ann Giffard, daughter of Henry Giffard, RN.
He died at Folkestone, Kent in 1858.
1 Hardinge Stanley Giffard born 3 Sep 1825 became a British lawyer and Conservative
politician. He was the 1st Earl of Halsbury. He served thrice as Lord Chancellor of
Great Britain, for a total of seventeen years and died 11 Dec 1921.
4 Mary Lees Giffard, second daughter born circa 1789 married the Rev Richard Ryan at Taney
Church on 3 Aug 1814, he was curate of Taney from 1814 until 1820 when is became Vicar of
Rathcore. Rev Ryan was author of 'A digest of the Irish church temporalities act'. Mary died
October 1834 aged 45 at Enfield and Richar died at Rathcore 8 Jul 1837 and is buried in
Rathcore churchyard.
1 William Ryan baptised at Taney Church became a JP for Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin.
2 Sarah Ryan born Rathcore
3 Ellen Ryan born Rathcore
4 Anna Maria Ryan born Rathcore.
5 William Durrough Giffard, third son, was a lieutenant in the 32nd Regiment and was killed by
the insurgents during the 1798 Rebellion in Kildare.
© June Bow & Karen Poff – March 2019