The Knight of Kerry
Maurice Fitzgerald Knight of Kerry
Maurice Fitzgerald married Maria La Touche
29 Dec 1774 5 Nov 1801 born circa 1778
died 7 Mar 1849 Marlay died 13 Nov 1829
Valentia London
Maurice Fitzgerald, 18th Knight of Kerry was born on 29 December 1774 to Robert FitzGerald, 17th
Knight of Kerry (1717–1781) and his third wife, Catherine Sandes, the daughter of Lancelot Sandes.
Upon his father's death in 1781, the seven year-old Maurice assumed the title of Knight of Kerry,
his seat was Ballinruddery Castle, near Listowel and a house at Glanleam on Valentia Island.
He was educated at Harrow School, Trinity College Dublin and Lincoln’s Inns and was a Colonel of the
Kerry Militia. In 1800 he was elected a life member of the Royal Dublin Society, and was an occasional
attender. His proposers for membership were General Vallancey and Major Eustace.
1795 he was elected MP for Kerry but was shy a few months of the legal age to take up his seat.
He accepted a place on the Irish Revenue Board in 1799 and was appointed one of the Lords of
Treasury in 1801 from which he resigned in 1807. He was a supporter of the union and was a critic of
absentee landlords. His advocacy of Catholic Emancipation kept him on the opposition benches and he
defended the Catholic association. His title was not recognised in England and he sat in the house of
commons and represented Kerry continuously from 1801 to 1831. He was opposed to O’Connell’s
repeal movement and lost his seat in 1835 to the Tory candidate.
He married Maria La Touche, daughter of David La Touche on 5 Nov 1801 at Marlay. In 1805 he
sold his interest in Rutland Lodge (Blackrock House). The advertisement notes that he is living at the
house and that the house had been built for the late Duke of Rutland. His interest was purchased
by The Lord Lieutenant. They lived at Seafort Lodge in Williamstown from 1808 to 1814. Maria died
on 13 Nov 1829 at Devonshire Terrace, Regent’s Park in London.
1 Maurice Fitzgerald eldest son born 1 Jun 1803 died unmarried on 9 May 1836 at Coblentz,
Germany of Apoplexy aged 32.
2 Major David FitzGeraldborn 30 Jul 1806 in Dublin, died late of the 60th Royal Rifle Corps on
1 May 1848 from dysentery at the residence of F Filgate of Mount Shannon, near Sligo. He
was aged 43 and unmarried.
3 Robert FitzGerald, third son married Ellen Hussey, eldest daughter Peter Bodkin Hussey of
Farranakilly House, County Kerry at Dingle Parish Church in October 1834. Robert died in 1835.
1 Daughter born at Dingle in March 1836.
4 Brinsley FitzGerald died a bachelor at Bengal on 28 Feb 1832.
5 Peter George FitzGerald born 15 Sep 1808 married Julia Hussey, youngest daughter of Peter Bodkin
Hussey of Farranikilla House on 16 Aug 1838 at Dingle. In 1849, he was high sheriff of Kerry and
succeeded his father as 19th \knight of Kerry and resided on Valentia Island. As an Irish landlord he
devoted himself to the improvement of his estates, and the welfare of his tenantry and replaced the
cabins of his tenants with substantial housinge. He was an advocate for Valentia Harbour and the
trans atlantic cable which terminated on his lands. In 1876 the knight of Kerry’s estate was recorded
as the owner of 5,372 acres in County Kerry, and 2,694 acres in County Carlow. Sir Peter died
6 Aug 1880 at his home in Valentia and left 12K in personal estate.
1 Mary Emily Francis FitzGerald married Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Baronet of Castle Dillon,
County Armagh in 1863. Capel died in 1879 and Mary died in 1917.
2 Emily FitzGerald died a spinster in 1932.
3 Frances Caroline (Fanny) FitzGerald died a spinster in 1921.
4 Katharine (Kate) FitzGerald married Rev. Henry Bell, vicar of Muncaster, Cumberland in
1873 and died in 1927.
5 Elizabeth Anne (Bessy) FitzGerald married Francis Spring Rice, 4th Baron Monteagle.
Elizabeth died in 1922 and Francis died in 1937.
1 Charles Spring Rice, 5th Baron Monteagle born in 1887 died in 1946.
6 Julia Emma Isabella FitzGerald married Stephen Spring Rice in 1888. Stephen died in 1902.
After Stephens's death, Julia married Francis, Baron Monteagle, her sister Elizabeth's widower.
Julia died in 1936.
7 Eileen Gertrude FitzGerald, who married Brig Gen Edward Kaye Daubeney, son of Reverend
Robert Thomas Daubeney in 1886.
8 Maurice Fitzgerald, 20th Knight of Kerry, 2nd Baronet of Valentia born in 1844, married
Amélie Bischoffsheim, daughter of Dutch banker Henri Louis Bischoffsheim and
granddaughter of Louis-Raphaël Bischoffsheim in 1883. Sir Maurice died in 1916 and
Amélie died in 1947.
9 Robert John La Touche FitzGerald born circa 1852 married Marion Harte, eldest daughter
of Mahony Harte.
10 Peter David FitzGerald born circa 1855 married Helen Mary Percy, daughter of Major
William Francis Percy in 1890. Mary died in 1904 and Peter died in 1935.
11 Brinsley John Hamilton FitzGerald born circa 1859 married Margarita (née Armstrong) Drexel
in 1918. Brinsley died in 1931.
6 Stephen Edward FitzGerald, youngest son born circa 1816 married Margaret Story, daughter
of Rev R Story In October 1859.
7 Elizabeth Emily FitzGerald eldest daughter born 20 Jul 1807 at Ballnruddery married Crofton
Thomas Vandeleur of the 34th Regiment, only son of the late General Vandeleur at St Peter’s
Church on 9 Nov 1833. Elizabeth died at Waterloo Road on 10 Apr 1860.
8 Maria FitzGerald born circa 1810 lived at Reenglass, Valentia. She died aged 83 on 16 Aug 1893.
9 Gertrude FitzGerald born circa April 1812 died in 1828.
10 Catherine FitzGerald youngest daughter born sept 1814 at the residence of David La Touche,
Stephens Green married Colonel Edward Symes Bayly of Ballyarthur, County Wicklow on
30 Jun 1835 at Merrion Square, the residence of the Countess of Llandaff. Edward was the
High Sheriff of Wicklow in 1837.
Maurice secondly married the widow, Cecilia Maria Knight nee Flood, the widow of George Knight at Marlebone Parish, London on 30 Aug 1838.
Sir Maurice died on Valentia on 7 Mar 1849 and Cecilia died 15 Oct 1859.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020
Maurice Fitzgerald Knight of Kerry
Maurice Fitzgerald married Maria La Touche
29 Dec 1774 5 Nov 1801 born circa 1778
died 7 Mar 1849 Marlay died 13 Nov 1829
Valentia London
Maurice Fitzgerald, 18th Knight of Kerry was born on 29 December 1774 to Robert FitzGerald, 17th
Knight of Kerry (1717–1781) and his third wife, Catherine Sandes, the daughter of Lancelot Sandes.
Upon his father's death in 1781, the seven year-old Maurice assumed the title of Knight of Kerry,
his seat was Ballinruddery Castle, near Listowel and a house at Glanleam on Valentia Island.
He was educated at Harrow School, Trinity College Dublin and Lincoln’s Inns and was a Colonel of the
Kerry Militia. In 1800 he was elected a life member of the Royal Dublin Society, and was an occasional
attender. His proposers for membership were General Vallancey and Major Eustace.
1795 he was elected MP for Kerry but was shy a few months of the legal age to take up his seat.
He accepted a place on the Irish Revenue Board in 1799 and was appointed one of the Lords of
Treasury in 1801 from which he resigned in 1807. He was a supporter of the union and was a critic of
absentee landlords. His advocacy of Catholic Emancipation kept him on the opposition benches and he
defended the Catholic association. His title was not recognised in England and he sat in the house of
commons and represented Kerry continuously from 1801 to 1831. He was opposed to O’Connell’s
repeal movement and lost his seat in 1835 to the Tory candidate.
He married Maria La Touche, daughter of David La Touche on 5 Nov 1801 at Marlay. In 1805 he
sold his interest in Rutland Lodge (Blackrock House). The advertisement notes that he is living at the
house and that the house had been built for the late Duke of Rutland. His interest was purchased
by The Lord Lieutenant. They lived at Seafort Lodge in Williamstown from 1808 to 1814. Maria died
on 13 Nov 1829 at Devonshire Terrace, Regent’s Park in London.
1 Maurice Fitzgerald eldest son born 1 Jun 1803 died unmarried on 9 May 1836 at Coblentz,
Germany of Apoplexy aged 32.
2 Major David FitzGeraldborn 30 Jul 1806 in Dublin, died late of the 60th Royal Rifle Corps on
1 May 1848 from dysentery at the residence of F Filgate of Mount Shannon, near Sligo. He
was aged 43 and unmarried.
3 Robert FitzGerald, third son married Ellen Hussey, eldest daughter Peter Bodkin Hussey of
Farranakilly House, County Kerry at Dingle Parish Church in October 1834. Robert died in 1835.
1 Daughter born at Dingle in March 1836.
4 Brinsley FitzGerald died a bachelor at Bengal on 28 Feb 1832.
5 Peter George FitzGerald born 15 Sep 1808 married Julia Hussey, youngest daughter of Peter Bodkin
Hussey of Farranikilla House on 16 Aug 1838 at Dingle. In 1849, he was high sheriff of Kerry and
succeeded his father as 19th \knight of Kerry and resided on Valentia Island. As an Irish landlord he
devoted himself to the improvement of his estates, and the welfare of his tenantry and replaced the
cabins of his tenants with substantial housinge. He was an advocate for Valentia Harbour and the
trans atlantic cable which terminated on his lands. In 1876 the knight of Kerry’s estate was recorded
as the owner of 5,372 acres in County Kerry, and 2,694 acres in County Carlow. Sir Peter died
6 Aug 1880 at his home in Valentia and left 12K in personal estate.
1 Mary Emily Francis FitzGerald married Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Baronet of Castle Dillon,
County Armagh in 1863. Capel died in 1879 and Mary died in 1917.
2 Emily FitzGerald died a spinster in 1932.
3 Frances Caroline (Fanny) FitzGerald died a spinster in 1921.
4 Katharine (Kate) FitzGerald married Rev. Henry Bell, vicar of Muncaster, Cumberland in
1873 and died in 1927.
5 Elizabeth Anne (Bessy) FitzGerald married Francis Spring Rice, 4th Baron Monteagle.
Elizabeth died in 1922 and Francis died in 1937.
1 Charles Spring Rice, 5th Baron Monteagle born in 1887 died in 1946.
6 Julia Emma Isabella FitzGerald married Stephen Spring Rice in 1888. Stephen died in 1902.
After Stephens's death, Julia married Francis, Baron Monteagle, her sister Elizabeth's widower.
Julia died in 1936.
7 Eileen Gertrude FitzGerald, who married Brig Gen Edward Kaye Daubeney, son of Reverend
Robert Thomas Daubeney in 1886.
8 Maurice Fitzgerald, 20th Knight of Kerry, 2nd Baronet of Valentia born in 1844, married
Amélie Bischoffsheim, daughter of Dutch banker Henri Louis Bischoffsheim and
granddaughter of Louis-Raphaël Bischoffsheim in 1883. Sir Maurice died in 1916 and
Amélie died in 1947.
9 Robert John La Touche FitzGerald born circa 1852 married Marion Harte, eldest daughter
of Mahony Harte.
10 Peter David FitzGerald born circa 1855 married Helen Mary Percy, daughter of Major
William Francis Percy in 1890. Mary died in 1904 and Peter died in 1935.
11 Brinsley John Hamilton FitzGerald born circa 1859 married Margarita (née Armstrong) Drexel
in 1918. Brinsley died in 1931.
6 Stephen Edward FitzGerald, youngest son born circa 1816 married Margaret Story, daughter
of Rev R Story In October 1859.
7 Elizabeth Emily FitzGerald eldest daughter born 20 Jul 1807 at Ballnruddery married Crofton
Thomas Vandeleur of the 34th Regiment, only son of the late General Vandeleur at St Peter’s
Church on 9 Nov 1833. Elizabeth died at Waterloo Road on 10 Apr 1860.
8 Maria FitzGerald born circa 1810 lived at Reenglass, Valentia. She died aged 83 on 16 Aug 1893.
9 Gertrude FitzGerald born circa April 1812 died in 1828.
10 Catherine FitzGerald youngest daughter born sept 1814 at the residence of David La Touche,
Stephens Green married Colonel Edward Symes Bayly of Ballyarthur, County Wicklow on
30 Jun 1835 at Merrion Square, the residence of the Countess of Llandaff. Edward was the
High Sheriff of Wicklow in 1837.
Maurice secondly married the widow, Cecilia Maria Knight nee Flood, the widow of George Knight at Marlebone Parish, London on 30 Aug 1838.
Sir Maurice died on Valentia on 7 Mar 1849 and Cecilia died 15 Oct 1859.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – June 2020