Isaac Butt
Butt Family of Cottage, Roebuck
Isaac Butt married Elizabeth Irwin Swanzy
born 06.09.1813 09.02.1837 born circa 1809
Stranorlar St George’s Church
died 05.05.1879 (65) Dublin died on 30.04.1897 (88)
Cottage, Roebuck 21 Beaufort Street, Chelsea.
Isaac Butt born 06.09.1813 only son of Rev Robert Butt of Stranorlar, Donegal and his second
wife Berkely Cox. He graduated Trinity College and was a professor of political economy and
editor of the Dublin University Magazine. He was admitted King’s Inns and called to the Irish
Bar in 1838. He married Elizabeth Swanzy at St George’s Church, Dublin on 09.02.1837.
Elizabeth was the second daughter of Henry Swanzy of Rockfield, Monaghan. Together they
had at least eight children, although it is thought that Isaac fathered a number of children
outside his marriage. He was a staunch unionist and Orangeman but after England’s handling
of the Great Famine he changed his mind. He moved from being a Unionist to supporting a
self rule system, where Ireland would have full control over domestic affairs. He served as a
MP for Youghal from 1852 to 1865 and Limerick from 1871 to 1879. He founded the Home
Government Association and began agitating for Irish self-government in 1870. Isaac died
at Cottage, Roebuck, the residence of his son in law on 05.05.1879 late of 41 North Great
George’s Street and is buried at Stranorlar Churchyard. Elizabeth died on 30.04.1897 at 21
Beaufort Street, Chelsea; probate to her daughters Rosa & Annie.
1 Robert Berkeley Butt born at 12 Hardwicke Street baptised on 18.11.1837 at St
George’s Church. Robert a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and a barrister-at-law died
suddenly on 27.05.1896 at 21 Beaufort Street, Chelsea.
2 Rosa Butt born 19.12.1838 and baptised on 01.02.1839 at St George’s Church of 48
Eccles Street. Rosa was living at 43 Williamstown, Cork in 1901 with her sister Annie.
Rosa died 25.04.1926 15 Albany Mansions, Battersea, Surrey. Probate to her niece
Kathleen Mary Ball.
3 Henry Butt born 14.04.1840 and baptised on 01.05.1840 at St George’s Church of 48
Eccles Street.
4 Elizabeth Butt baptised on 19.07.1841 at St George’s Church of Eccles Street. Elizabeth
married Thomas Colquhoun a solicitor and son of Samuel Colquhoun of Strabane on
22.12.1870 at St George’s Church, Dublin. Thomas died in 1899 and Elizabeth died in
1905.
5 George Butt youngest son born circa 1843. He joined the Bengal Civil Service in 1858.
He married Annie Frances Ball on 21.09.1875 at St Bartholomew’s Church. Annie was the
youngest daughter of the late Robert Ball of Granby Row and the sister of the Astronomer
Royal. George died on 26.01.1879 at Allahabad.
1 Kathleen Mary Butt born 25.09.1876 in Bengal. She married William Valentine Ball
on 9 Oct 1903 in Edinburgh.
2 George Berkeley Butt only son born 03.07.1878 at Bengal. He died on 28.08.1902
aged 24 years at Malakand Frontier Provinces, India.
6 Annie Butt baptised on 09.09.1847 at St Peter’s Church of 92 Leeson Street. Annie was
living at 43 Williamstown, Cork in 1901 with her sister Rosa. Annie died unmarried aged
75 years late of 15 Albany Mansions, Battersea, London and was buried on 03.07.1920 at
Brompton. Probate to her sister Rosa.
7 Berkeley Isaac Butt baptised on 09.09.1847 at St Peter’s Church of 92 Leeson Street.
Berkeley died on 28.05.1861 aged 14 years at Richmond, Surrey and is buried at Brompton.
8 Mary Butt born 14.06.1849 at Leeson Street baptised 07.09.1849 at St Peter’s Church.
Mary died on 27.08.1854 aged 5 years at Rockfield, Monaghan the home of her
grandfather.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2025
Return to Cottage, Roebuck page
Isaac Butt married Elizabeth Irwin Swanzy
born 06.09.1813 09.02.1837 born circa 1809
Stranorlar St George’s Church
died 05.05.1879 (65) Dublin died on 30.04.1897 (88)
Cottage, Roebuck 21 Beaufort Street, Chelsea.
Isaac Butt born 06.09.1813 only son of Rev Robert Butt of Stranorlar, Donegal and his second
wife Berkely Cox. He graduated Trinity College and was a professor of political economy and
editor of the Dublin University Magazine. He was admitted King’s Inns and called to the Irish
Bar in 1838. He married Elizabeth Swanzy at St George’s Church, Dublin on 09.02.1837.
Elizabeth was the second daughter of Henry Swanzy of Rockfield, Monaghan. Together they
had at least eight children, although it is thought that Isaac fathered a number of children
outside his marriage. He was a staunch unionist and Orangeman but after England’s handling
of the Great Famine he changed his mind. He moved from being a Unionist to supporting a
self rule system, where Ireland would have full control over domestic affairs. He served as a
MP for Youghal from 1852 to 1865 and Limerick from 1871 to 1879. He founded the Home
Government Association and began agitating for Irish self-government in 1870. Isaac died
at Cottage, Roebuck, the residence of his son in law on 05.05.1879 late of 41 North Great
George’s Street and is buried at Stranorlar Churchyard. Elizabeth died on 30.04.1897 at 21
Beaufort Street, Chelsea; probate to her daughters Rosa & Annie.
1 Robert Berkeley Butt born at 12 Hardwicke Street baptised on 18.11.1837 at St
George’s Church. Robert a Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery and a barrister-at-law died
suddenly on 27.05.1896 at 21 Beaufort Street, Chelsea.
2 Rosa Butt born 19.12.1838 and baptised on 01.02.1839 at St George’s Church of 48
Eccles Street. Rosa was living at 43 Williamstown, Cork in 1901 with her sister Annie.
Rosa died 25.04.1926 15 Albany Mansions, Battersea, Surrey. Probate to her niece
Kathleen Mary Ball.
3 Henry Butt born 14.04.1840 and baptised on 01.05.1840 at St George’s Church of 48
Eccles Street.
4 Elizabeth Butt baptised on 19.07.1841 at St George’s Church of Eccles Street. Elizabeth
married Thomas Colquhoun a solicitor and son of Samuel Colquhoun of Strabane on
22.12.1870 at St George’s Church, Dublin. Thomas died in 1899 and Elizabeth died in
1905.
5 George Butt youngest son born circa 1843. He joined the Bengal Civil Service in 1858.
He married Annie Frances Ball on 21.09.1875 at St Bartholomew’s Church. Annie was the
youngest daughter of the late Robert Ball of Granby Row and the sister of the Astronomer
Royal. George died on 26.01.1879 at Allahabad.
1 Kathleen Mary Butt born 25.09.1876 in Bengal. She married William Valentine Ball
on 9 Oct 1903 in Edinburgh.
2 George Berkeley Butt only son born 03.07.1878 at Bengal. He died on 28.08.1902
aged 24 years at Malakand Frontier Provinces, India.
6 Annie Butt baptised on 09.09.1847 at St Peter’s Church of 92 Leeson Street. Annie was
living at 43 Williamstown, Cork in 1901 with her sister Rosa. Annie died unmarried aged
75 years late of 15 Albany Mansions, Battersea, London and was buried on 03.07.1920 at
Brompton. Probate to her sister Rosa.
7 Berkeley Isaac Butt baptised on 09.09.1847 at St Peter’s Church of 92 Leeson Street.
Berkeley died on 28.05.1861 aged 14 years at Richmond, Surrey and is buried at Brompton.
8 Mary Butt born 14.06.1849 at Leeson Street baptised 07.09.1849 at St Peter’s Church.
Mary died on 27.08.1854 aged 5 years at Rockfield, Monaghan the home of her
grandfather.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - October 2025
Return to Cottage, Roebuck page