James Fitzgerald of Cherbury
James Fitzgerald married Catherine Vesey
born circa 1741 1782
died 22 Jan 1835 died 3 Jan 1832
At Herbert House Molesworth Street
James Fitzgerald of Inchicronan, Clare born circa 1741 eldest son of William Fitzgerald of
Ennis was a member if the family of the “White Knight”. He was called to the Irish bar in
1769 appointed Sergeant at Law in 1784 and Prime Sergeant in 1787 . He resigned his post
in 1799 and refused an English peerage. He was an MP from 1772 to 1798 in various
boroughs. He was very eloquent and was known as the Silver Tongued Prime Sergeant. In
1782 he married Catherine Vesey. Catherine was the younger daughter of the Rev Henry
Vesey and in 1826 she became Baroness Fitzgerald of Vesey. James proposed the first bill
for the relief of Roman Catholics which was successfully carried in 1782. This repealed the
laws that compelled Catholic bishops to quit the kingdom, binding those who had assisted
at Mass to identify the celebrant, and the ban on foreign education. They lived at Herbert
House (now Cherbury) from 1814 to 1835. His brother Maurice died at Merrion Street in
1825. James and Catherine attended SS Philip & James Church and James was a member
of the Select Vestry. Catherine died 3 Jan 1832 at Molesworth Street. James died at
Herbert House, Booterstown on 22 Jan 1835.
1 John Fitzgerald died before 1815.
2 William Fitzgerald born circa 1783 educated at Trinity. He was an MP for Co Clare. In
1815 William Fitzgerald of Inchicronan was granted by Royal licence to assume and
prefix the name Vesey to his paternal name of Fitzgerald in compliance with the terms
of the will of his uncle John Vesey. As elder surviving son he succeeded his mother as
second Baron Fitzgerald and Vesey in 1832. In 1835 he was created Baron Fitzgerald,
of Desmond and of Clan Gibbon in the County of Cork, in the Peerage of England, and
was able to take a seat in the House of Lords. He held office as President of the Board
of Control under Sir Robert Peel between 1841 and 1843 and was paymaster to the
forces. He was Deputy Lieutenant of County Clare from 1831 to 1843, a trustee of the
British Museum, President of the Institute of Irish Architects and a Fellow of the Society
of Antiquaries. He died a bachelor on 11 May 1843 at Belgrave Square, London.
1 William Fitzgerald illegitimate son born circa 1817 was MP Horsham 1852-65;
Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1858-59; Governor of Bombay 1867-72.
He was knighted in 1867 and died in 1885.
3 Mary Geraldine Fitzgerald eldest daughter Fitzgerald born circa 1784 married Sir Ross
Mahon, Bart as his third wife on 1 Oct 1809. Mary Geraldine, the Hon Lady Mahon died
in March 1859 at Lower Fitzwilliam Street.
4 Henry Vesey Fitzgerald born circa 1786 educated at Trinity took Holy orders. He was
Dean of Emly (1818–26), and Dean of Kilmore from 1826 until his death. He married
Eliza O’Grady on 7 Sep 1825 at Mrs O’Grady’s house at 15 Mount Street. The clerk of
St Peters attended with the marriage register. Eliza was the youngest daughter of
Standish O’Grady of Elton, Co Limerick. They had five daughters Eliza died at Danesfort,
Co Cavan on 4 Mar 1834 and she was interred as St Anne’s Dublin. He succeeded his
eldest brother as third Lord Fitzgerald and Vesey in 1843. He died on 30 Mar 1860 at
Danesfort and he had no male issue the title became extinct on his death.
1 Mabella Geraldine Versey Fitzgerald eldest daughter married Rev Beaucham W
Stannus on 23 Apr 1857 at St Anne’s Church, Dublin. Beaucham was the
incumbent of Woodbury, Salterton.
2 Letitia Vesey Fitzgerald born circa 1827 died a spinster 28 Oct 1904 at Clevedon.
3 Elizabeth Fitzgerald (twin) born November 1828 at Deanery House, Kilmore died
a spinster in Paris on 3 Nov 1856.
4 Catherine Fitzgerald (twin) born November 1828 at Deanery House, Kilmore
married Walter Trevor Stannus.
5 Georgina Vesey Fitzgerald youngest daughter moved to England in 1860. She
died a spinster at Leamington in April 1913.
5 Letitia Fitzgerald born circa 1788 married John Leslie Foster at Cherbury, Booterstown
on 19 May 1814. They had at least six children. Leslie was the son of William Foster,
Bishop of Clogher (1744-1797) and nephew of John Foster, 1st Baron Oriel. He was an
Irish barrister, judge and MP. In 1830 he was appointed a Baron of the Court of
Exchequer of Ireland. John served as Treasurer of King's Inns from 1832 to 1833 and
from 1838 to 1839. John died 10 Jul 1842. Letitia died at Bellevue near Bray on
1 Feb 1864.
1 John Leslie Fitzgerald Vesey Foster born 19 Aug 1818 in Dublin was educated at
Trinity. He moved to New South Wales in 1841. In accordance with the will of his
uncle, the last Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci, he assumed the name of Vesey and
Fitzgerald in addition to his own name of Foster in 1843. He was a politician in
New South Wales and Victoria. He returned to Ireland and married Elizabeth Emily
Fletcher at Killiskey near Rathdrum on 13 Sep 1851. Emily was the daughter of
Rev J J Fletcher, of Dunran, County Wicklow. He moved to England in 1857 and
died 3 Jan 1900 survived by a son and two daughters.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - June 2023
James Fitzgerald married Catherine Vesey
born circa 1741 1782
died 22 Jan 1835 died 3 Jan 1832
At Herbert House Molesworth Street
James Fitzgerald of Inchicronan, Clare born circa 1741 eldest son of William Fitzgerald of
Ennis was a member if the family of the “White Knight”. He was called to the Irish bar in
1769 appointed Sergeant at Law in 1784 and Prime Sergeant in 1787 . He resigned his post
in 1799 and refused an English peerage. He was an MP from 1772 to 1798 in various
boroughs. He was very eloquent and was known as the Silver Tongued Prime Sergeant. In
1782 he married Catherine Vesey. Catherine was the younger daughter of the Rev Henry
Vesey and in 1826 she became Baroness Fitzgerald of Vesey. James proposed the first bill
for the relief of Roman Catholics which was successfully carried in 1782. This repealed the
laws that compelled Catholic bishops to quit the kingdom, binding those who had assisted
at Mass to identify the celebrant, and the ban on foreign education. They lived at Herbert
House (now Cherbury) from 1814 to 1835. His brother Maurice died at Merrion Street in
1825. James and Catherine attended SS Philip & James Church and James was a member
of the Select Vestry. Catherine died 3 Jan 1832 at Molesworth Street. James died at
Herbert House, Booterstown on 22 Jan 1835.
1 John Fitzgerald died before 1815.
2 William Fitzgerald born circa 1783 educated at Trinity. He was an MP for Co Clare. In
1815 William Fitzgerald of Inchicronan was granted by Royal licence to assume and
prefix the name Vesey to his paternal name of Fitzgerald in compliance with the terms
of the will of his uncle John Vesey. As elder surviving son he succeeded his mother as
second Baron Fitzgerald and Vesey in 1832. In 1835 he was created Baron Fitzgerald,
of Desmond and of Clan Gibbon in the County of Cork, in the Peerage of England, and
was able to take a seat in the House of Lords. He held office as President of the Board
of Control under Sir Robert Peel between 1841 and 1843 and was paymaster to the
forces. He was Deputy Lieutenant of County Clare from 1831 to 1843, a trustee of the
British Museum, President of the Institute of Irish Architects and a Fellow of the Society
of Antiquaries. He died a bachelor on 11 May 1843 at Belgrave Square, London.
1 William Fitzgerald illegitimate son born circa 1817 was MP Horsham 1852-65;
Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1858-59; Governor of Bombay 1867-72.
He was knighted in 1867 and died in 1885.
3 Mary Geraldine Fitzgerald eldest daughter Fitzgerald born circa 1784 married Sir Ross
Mahon, Bart as his third wife on 1 Oct 1809. Mary Geraldine, the Hon Lady Mahon died
in March 1859 at Lower Fitzwilliam Street.
4 Henry Vesey Fitzgerald born circa 1786 educated at Trinity took Holy orders. He was
Dean of Emly (1818–26), and Dean of Kilmore from 1826 until his death. He married
Eliza O’Grady on 7 Sep 1825 at Mrs O’Grady’s house at 15 Mount Street. The clerk of
St Peters attended with the marriage register. Eliza was the youngest daughter of
Standish O’Grady of Elton, Co Limerick. They had five daughters Eliza died at Danesfort,
Co Cavan on 4 Mar 1834 and she was interred as St Anne’s Dublin. He succeeded his
eldest brother as third Lord Fitzgerald and Vesey in 1843. He died on 30 Mar 1860 at
Danesfort and he had no male issue the title became extinct on his death.
1 Mabella Geraldine Versey Fitzgerald eldest daughter married Rev Beaucham W
Stannus on 23 Apr 1857 at St Anne’s Church, Dublin. Beaucham was the
incumbent of Woodbury, Salterton.
2 Letitia Vesey Fitzgerald born circa 1827 died a spinster 28 Oct 1904 at Clevedon.
3 Elizabeth Fitzgerald (twin) born November 1828 at Deanery House, Kilmore died
a spinster in Paris on 3 Nov 1856.
4 Catherine Fitzgerald (twin) born November 1828 at Deanery House, Kilmore
married Walter Trevor Stannus.
5 Georgina Vesey Fitzgerald youngest daughter moved to England in 1860. She
died a spinster at Leamington in April 1913.
5 Letitia Fitzgerald born circa 1788 married John Leslie Foster at Cherbury, Booterstown
on 19 May 1814. They had at least six children. Leslie was the son of William Foster,
Bishop of Clogher (1744-1797) and nephew of John Foster, 1st Baron Oriel. He was an
Irish barrister, judge and MP. In 1830 he was appointed a Baron of the Court of
Exchequer of Ireland. John served as Treasurer of King's Inns from 1832 to 1833 and
from 1838 to 1839. John died 10 Jul 1842. Letitia died at Bellevue near Bray on
1 Feb 1864.
1 John Leslie Fitzgerald Vesey Foster born 19 Aug 1818 in Dublin was educated at
Trinity. He moved to New South Wales in 1841. In accordance with the will of his
uncle, the last Lord Fitzgerald and Vesci, he assumed the name of Vesey and
Fitzgerald in addition to his own name of Foster in 1843. He was a politician in
New South Wales and Victoria. He returned to Ireland and married Elizabeth Emily
Fletcher at Killiskey near Rathdrum on 13 Sep 1851. Emily was the daughter of
Rev J J Fletcher, of Dunran, County Wicklow. He moved to England in 1857 and
died 3 Jan 1900 survived by a son and two daughters.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - June 2023