Lees (Church of Ireland)
For over 80 years (two generations) the Lees family owned Blackrock House although it was not always in residence. The house was built for Sir John Lees who was the first member of the family to settle in Ireland and the founder of this family dynasty.
John Lees married Mary Cathcart and came to Dublin about 1767 with the Marquis of Townsend when the latter became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Lees was appointed to Townsend's secretariat and quickly forged contacts with influential people. A poem published by Hibernian magazine in 1800 listed the Lords Lieutenants who spent time at Blackrock House. He was to become, in 1774, the first secretary general of the Irish Post Office. His career there was clouded by financial irregularities which also involved his son Edward Smith Lees. Even his eldest son, Harcourt Lees, who succeeded him as second baron was suspected of using the post offices services for personal advantage. He attained the position of Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Commons in Ireland in 1780. The grant of arms and title of Baronet of Blackrock in the County of Dublin was conferred on him in 1804.
Sir John was active in the local church at Carrickbrennan in Monkstown. He served for many years as church warden and, in that role, he, along with others, approached Lord Longford and Viscount de Vesci for land to build a new church when the parishioners outgrew the capacity of the older one. The new church was built in Monkstown village. He was buried in the cemetery at Carrickbrennan and a headstone marks the spot. Inside the new church a sycophantic inscription commemorates his unblemished character and states that “he died universally lamented”, and interestingly mentions his six sons but makes no reference to any daughter.
Harcourt Lees succeeded to the title on his father's death in 1811 and moved into Blackrock House. But, as in earlier years, the house was let from time to time, for example the Tithes Applotment Book (1826) lists Alex Smyth as resident while Sir Harcourt Lees is listed elsewhere. Educated first in Trinity College in Dublin, he transferred to Trinity College Cambridge from where he graduated with a BA and MA. He was a clergy man and held a parish in County Down. Politics was his passion and he was an energetic campaigner and pamphleteer. He was at times a skilled negotiator, seen in his securing some £7500 in compensation for allowing the Dublin-Kingstown railway to cross his land. Conversely, he failed to win his 1835 claim on behalf of his brother William Eden and sister-in-law Sophia Cornelia Helden for some £2,000 compensation for loss of slave assets in the Helden plantation on St Kitts.
His personal life seems to have been successful. In the year following his father's death, Harcourt married Sophia Lyster. The couple had eight children - four sons and four daughters. He died in 1852 and, like his father, he too is commemorated in an inscription on the wall of Monkstown Church.
John Lees (junior) succeeded Harcourt ads the 3rd Baronet of Blackrock. Born in 1816, he married Maria Charlotte Sullivan in 1839. The couple lived mainly in the Isle of Wight although John is listed as a voter in Blackrock in the 1865 election.
Seven children were born to John and Maria Lees. Their eldest son, Harcourt James Lees, became the 4th Baronet. By then the family no longer had a connection with Blackrock House.
Profile of John Lees
1st Baron of Blackrock
Born c1737
Died 1811
Buried Carrickbrennan Cemetery in Monkstown
Parents Adam Lees & Agnes Goldie
Siblings
Married Mary Cathcart (d1805) in 1766 in Scotland
Children He is reputed to have had six sons and two daughters but so far only one daughter is known.
Harcourt – see below 2nd Baron
John Cathcart 1777-1858, married Mary Shaw
Townsend 1779-1824
Edward Smith 1783-1846, married Jane Clarke
William Eden 1784-1856, married Sophia Cornelia Helden
Charlotte 1787-
Thomas Orde 1788-1869, married Charity Armit
Profile of Harcourt Lees
2nd Baronet of Blackrock
Died 1852
Buried Not clear but an inscription placed by his widow on the wall of Monkstown Church commemorates his life and character.
Married Sophia Lyster (1790-1874) in 1812
Children George Cholemondey (1820-1896)
married (1) Georgina Elizabeth Colclough (-1843) 1840
(2) Antoinette Du Gue (-1919) 1866
Helen (-1906)
Sophia (-1876)
Thomas Ellis Bridgeman, married Janet Stanley née Balfour 1857
Mary Sophia c1813-1895) married John Meiklam 1833
Julia (1815-1906)
John – see below 3rd Baronet
William Nassau (1825-1889)
Profile of John Lees
3rd Baronet of Blackrock
Born 1816
Died 1892 in Isle of Wight
Buried Isle of Wight
Married Maria Charlotte Sullivan (c1818-1881) in 1939.
Children Harcourt James 1840-1917
Arthur Richard 1842-1887
James Lilyman Martel 1845-1870
Belinda Alicia 1858
Nora Frances c1850
Mary Charlotte
Hester Elizabeth
For over 80 years (two generations) the Lees family owned Blackrock House although it was not always in residence. The house was built for Sir John Lees who was the first member of the family to settle in Ireland and the founder of this family dynasty.
John Lees married Mary Cathcart and came to Dublin about 1767 with the Marquis of Townsend when the latter became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Lees was appointed to Townsend's secretariat and quickly forged contacts with influential people. A poem published by Hibernian magazine in 1800 listed the Lords Lieutenants who spent time at Blackrock House. He was to become, in 1774, the first secretary general of the Irish Post Office. His career there was clouded by financial irregularities which also involved his son Edward Smith Lees. Even his eldest son, Harcourt Lees, who succeeded him as second baron was suspected of using the post offices services for personal advantage. He attained the position of Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Commons in Ireland in 1780. The grant of arms and title of Baronet of Blackrock in the County of Dublin was conferred on him in 1804.
Sir John was active in the local church at Carrickbrennan in Monkstown. He served for many years as church warden and, in that role, he, along with others, approached Lord Longford and Viscount de Vesci for land to build a new church when the parishioners outgrew the capacity of the older one. The new church was built in Monkstown village. He was buried in the cemetery at Carrickbrennan and a headstone marks the spot. Inside the new church a sycophantic inscription commemorates his unblemished character and states that “he died universally lamented”, and interestingly mentions his six sons but makes no reference to any daughter.
Harcourt Lees succeeded to the title on his father's death in 1811 and moved into Blackrock House. But, as in earlier years, the house was let from time to time, for example the Tithes Applotment Book (1826) lists Alex Smyth as resident while Sir Harcourt Lees is listed elsewhere. Educated first in Trinity College in Dublin, he transferred to Trinity College Cambridge from where he graduated with a BA and MA. He was a clergy man and held a parish in County Down. Politics was his passion and he was an energetic campaigner and pamphleteer. He was at times a skilled negotiator, seen in his securing some £7500 in compensation for allowing the Dublin-Kingstown railway to cross his land. Conversely, he failed to win his 1835 claim on behalf of his brother William Eden and sister-in-law Sophia Cornelia Helden for some £2,000 compensation for loss of slave assets in the Helden plantation on St Kitts.
His personal life seems to have been successful. In the year following his father's death, Harcourt married Sophia Lyster. The couple had eight children - four sons and four daughters. He died in 1852 and, like his father, he too is commemorated in an inscription on the wall of Monkstown Church.
John Lees (junior) succeeded Harcourt ads the 3rd Baronet of Blackrock. Born in 1816, he married Maria Charlotte Sullivan in 1839. The couple lived mainly in the Isle of Wight although John is listed as a voter in Blackrock in the 1865 election.
Seven children were born to John and Maria Lees. Their eldest son, Harcourt James Lees, became the 4th Baronet. By then the family no longer had a connection with Blackrock House.
Profile of John Lees
1st Baron of Blackrock
Born c1737
Died 1811
Buried Carrickbrennan Cemetery in Monkstown
Parents Adam Lees & Agnes Goldie
Siblings
Married Mary Cathcart (d1805) in 1766 in Scotland
Children He is reputed to have had six sons and two daughters but so far only one daughter is known.
Harcourt – see below 2nd Baron
John Cathcart 1777-1858, married Mary Shaw
Townsend 1779-1824
Edward Smith 1783-1846, married Jane Clarke
William Eden 1784-1856, married Sophia Cornelia Helden
Charlotte 1787-
Thomas Orde 1788-1869, married Charity Armit
Profile of Harcourt Lees
2nd Baronet of Blackrock
Died 1852
Buried Not clear but an inscription placed by his widow on the wall of Monkstown Church commemorates his life and character.
Married Sophia Lyster (1790-1874) in 1812
Children George Cholemondey (1820-1896)
married (1) Georgina Elizabeth Colclough (-1843) 1840
(2) Antoinette Du Gue (-1919) 1866
Helen (-1906)
Sophia (-1876)
Thomas Ellis Bridgeman, married Janet Stanley née Balfour 1857
Mary Sophia c1813-1895) married John Meiklam 1833
Julia (1815-1906)
John – see below 3rd Baronet
William Nassau (1825-1889)
Profile of John Lees
3rd Baronet of Blackrock
Born 1816
Died 1892 in Isle of Wight
Buried Isle of Wight
Married Maria Charlotte Sullivan (c1818-1881) in 1939.
Children Harcourt James 1840-1917
Arthur Richard 1842-1887
James Lilyman Martel 1845-1870
Belinda Alicia 1858
Nora Frances c1850
Mary Charlotte
Hester Elizabeth