Morris family of Taney House
Martin Morris married Julia Blake
born 9 Nov 1784 22 Aug 1822
died 27 Jun 1862 Galway died 6 Aug 1833
Wellpark, Galway Galway
Martin Morris born 9 Nov 1784 was the son of James Morris and Deborah Lynch. He was
the grandson of Andrew Morris and Monica Browne. He was a JP, and in 1841 became
the first Roman Catholic to be High Sheriff of Galway Town since 1690. The Morris' were
a long-established merchant family, who were one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway and
who dominated the town's commercial life. Martin married Julia Blake on 22 Aug 1822
at Galway. Julia was the daughter of Dr Charles Blake and died of cholera on 6 Aug 1833.
Martin died on 27 Jun 1862 and was buried at St Francis’ Abbey.
1 Michael Morris eldest son born 14 Nov 1826. He graduated Trinity and was
called to the bar in 1849. He married Anna Maria Hughes by special licence at
Victoria Castle, Killiney on 18 Sep 1860 and later that day at Victoria Castle by
special dispensation by Rev John Harold, parish priest of Killiney. Anna was the
daughter of Henry George Hughes, Baron of the Court of Exchequer and his
wife Sarah Isabella l'Estrange. Anna was brought up Church of Ireland. They
had thirteen children. In 1885, Michael was created a Baronet, of Spiddal in
the County of Galway, and two years later he was appointed Lord Chief
Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland. He was Lord Chief Justice of the King's
Bench for Ireland from 1887 to 1889 and in 1889, on being made a Lord of
Appeal in Ordinary, he was given a life peerage as Baron Morris, of Spiddal in
the County of Galway. He sat in the House of Lords as a Lord of Appeal in
Ordinary from 1889 to 1900. He died 8 Sep 1901 at Spiddal, his son Martin
the informant. He left 128K in personal estate. Dame Anna died 17 Oct 1906
aged 65 at Spiddal and left 9K in personal estate.
1 Martin Morris eldest son was an MP and succeeded to the barony of Killanin
and baronetcy. He never married and the baronetcy passed to his
nephew Michael, son of his brother George.
2 George Henry Morris born 16 Jul 1872 at 22 lower Fitzwilliam Street was
educated at Sandhurst Military College and joined the Rifle Brigade. He was
the first commanding officer to lead an Irish Guards battalion into battle and
was killed in action during the Retreat from Mons on 1 Sep 1914.
2 George Morris born April 1833 was a land agent. He was a director of the Great
Western Railway. He married Elizabeth Christina O’Connor Henchy on 6 April 1875
at St Andrew’s, Westland Row. Elizabeth was the only daughter of David O’Connor
Henchy of Stonebrook, Ballymore Eustace. They lived at 48 Lower Leeson Street.
He retired from parliamentary life in 1880 and the same year he was appointed
commissioner to the Irish Local Government Board, which he was forced to retire
from in 1898 due to the over sixty five rule. He was knighted in Commander, Order
of the Bath (KCB) and appointed DL. He was a director of the Great Western
Railway and was also on the Galway Harbour Board. Elizabeth and her daughter
attended lots of functions in Dublin and wore dresses designed by Alfred Manning
of Grafton Street. Elizabeth supported many charitable institutions and sent 20lb
of tobacco to the workhouse in Galway each Christmas. After his retirement they
took a six week holiday abroad each year, visiting Biarritz and London in 1904,
Homberg and London in 1907, Aix les Bains in 1908, Spain in 1910 and Mentone
and Seville in 1911. They lived at Taney House Dundrum in 1911/1912. Sir George
died on 11 Sep 1912 at Taney House, his nephew Lord Killanin was present at his
death. He was buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Galway and left 38K in
personal estate. Elizabeth died 13 Dec 1924 at Stonebrook House, Ballymore
Eustace and left 16K in personal estate in England and the Irish Free State.
1 Elizabeth Julia Morris born 28 Mar 1876 at Lower Leeson Street baptised
at Harrington Street. In 1926 and 1941 Elizabeth sold most of the lands at
Ballymore Eustace. She died a spinster on 31 May 1968 late of 26
Burlington Road. She left 6K in personal estate.
3 Jane Caroline Morris eldest daughter married Thomas Lefroy Courtney at St
Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Galway on 23 Nov 1843. Thomas of Pembroke
Street in Dublin was the son of Captain Thomas Courtney and nephew of the Rt
Hon Baron Lefroy. The marriage was followed by a Roman Catholic marriage
service held at the residence of her father. Thomas died at Fitzwilliam Square on
11 Feb 1864. Jane died while on a visit to Dublin on 12 Oct 1898 at Portobello
House, late of 14 Merrion Square and was buried at Mount Jerome.
4 Lizzie Morris died a spinster on 16 Jun 1897.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2023
Martin Morris married Julia Blake
born 9 Nov 1784 22 Aug 1822
died 27 Jun 1862 Galway died 6 Aug 1833
Wellpark, Galway Galway
Martin Morris born 9 Nov 1784 was the son of James Morris and Deborah Lynch. He was
the grandson of Andrew Morris and Monica Browne. He was a JP, and in 1841 became
the first Roman Catholic to be High Sheriff of Galway Town since 1690. The Morris' were
a long-established merchant family, who were one of the fourteen Tribes of Galway and
who dominated the town's commercial life. Martin married Julia Blake on 22 Aug 1822
at Galway. Julia was the daughter of Dr Charles Blake and died of cholera on 6 Aug 1833.
Martin died on 27 Jun 1862 and was buried at St Francis’ Abbey.
1 Michael Morris eldest son born 14 Nov 1826. He graduated Trinity and was
called to the bar in 1849. He married Anna Maria Hughes by special licence at
Victoria Castle, Killiney on 18 Sep 1860 and later that day at Victoria Castle by
special dispensation by Rev John Harold, parish priest of Killiney. Anna was the
daughter of Henry George Hughes, Baron of the Court of Exchequer and his
wife Sarah Isabella l'Estrange. Anna was brought up Church of Ireland. They
had thirteen children. In 1885, Michael was created a Baronet, of Spiddal in
the County of Galway, and two years later he was appointed Lord Chief
Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland. He was Lord Chief Justice of the King's
Bench for Ireland from 1887 to 1889 and in 1889, on being made a Lord of
Appeal in Ordinary, he was given a life peerage as Baron Morris, of Spiddal in
the County of Galway. He sat in the House of Lords as a Lord of Appeal in
Ordinary from 1889 to 1900. He died 8 Sep 1901 at Spiddal, his son Martin
the informant. He left 128K in personal estate. Dame Anna died 17 Oct 1906
aged 65 at Spiddal and left 9K in personal estate.
1 Martin Morris eldest son was an MP and succeeded to the barony of Killanin
and baronetcy. He never married and the baronetcy passed to his
nephew Michael, son of his brother George.
2 George Henry Morris born 16 Jul 1872 at 22 lower Fitzwilliam Street was
educated at Sandhurst Military College and joined the Rifle Brigade. He was
the first commanding officer to lead an Irish Guards battalion into battle and
was killed in action during the Retreat from Mons on 1 Sep 1914.
2 George Morris born April 1833 was a land agent. He was a director of the Great
Western Railway. He married Elizabeth Christina O’Connor Henchy on 6 April 1875
at St Andrew’s, Westland Row. Elizabeth was the only daughter of David O’Connor
Henchy of Stonebrook, Ballymore Eustace. They lived at 48 Lower Leeson Street.
He retired from parliamentary life in 1880 and the same year he was appointed
commissioner to the Irish Local Government Board, which he was forced to retire
from in 1898 due to the over sixty five rule. He was knighted in Commander, Order
of the Bath (KCB) and appointed DL. He was a director of the Great Western
Railway and was also on the Galway Harbour Board. Elizabeth and her daughter
attended lots of functions in Dublin and wore dresses designed by Alfred Manning
of Grafton Street. Elizabeth supported many charitable institutions and sent 20lb
of tobacco to the workhouse in Galway each Christmas. After his retirement they
took a six week holiday abroad each year, visiting Biarritz and London in 1904,
Homberg and London in 1907, Aix les Bains in 1908, Spain in 1910 and Mentone
and Seville in 1911. They lived at Taney House Dundrum in 1911/1912. Sir George
died on 11 Sep 1912 at Taney House, his nephew Lord Killanin was present at his
death. He was buried at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Galway and left 38K in
personal estate. Elizabeth died 13 Dec 1924 at Stonebrook House, Ballymore
Eustace and left 16K in personal estate in England and the Irish Free State.
1 Elizabeth Julia Morris born 28 Mar 1876 at Lower Leeson Street baptised
at Harrington Street. In 1926 and 1941 Elizabeth sold most of the lands at
Ballymore Eustace. She died a spinster on 31 May 1968 late of 26
Burlington Road. She left 6K in personal estate.
3 Jane Caroline Morris eldest daughter married Thomas Lefroy Courtney at St
Nicholas’ Church of Ireland Galway on 23 Nov 1843. Thomas of Pembroke
Street in Dublin was the son of Captain Thomas Courtney and nephew of the Rt
Hon Baron Lefroy. The marriage was followed by a Roman Catholic marriage
service held at the residence of her father. Thomas died at Fitzwilliam Square on
11 Feb 1864. Jane died while on a visit to Dublin on 12 Oct 1898 at Portobello
House, late of 14 Merrion Square and was buried at Mount Jerome.
4 Lizzie Morris died a spinster on 16 Jun 1897.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2023