Biographies A-Z

Burkitt, Denis Parsons (1911–93), surgeon and epidemiologist, was born 28 February 1911 at Lawnakilla, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, elder son among three children of James Parsons Burkitt (qv), county surveyor and ornithologist,…

Burkitt, James Parsons (1870–1959), ornithologist and engineer, was born 20 August 1870 at Killybegs, Co. Donegal, second son among five sons and two daughters of Thomas Henry Burkitt, presbyterian minister, and Emma Eliza Burkitt (née Parsons). He was educated at Galway grammar…

Burk, John Daly (1772?–1808), author and radical, was possibly the son of James Burk, a protestant schoolmaster from Co. Cork, who may have been related to Edmund Burke (qv) (Augusta Chronicle, 11 Nov. 1809). In 1790 John was…

Burnell, Henry (d. 1614), lawyer, was the son of John Burnell of Castleknock, Co. Dublin; the family also owned land at Balgriffin, Co. Dublin, and had strong connections with the city of Dublin, principally through Sir Robert Burnell, who was mayor on several occasions in the…

Burnell, Henry (fl. 1639–55), playwright, was born in Ireland into an Old English catholic family belonging to the gentry of the Pale, grandson of Henry Burnell (qv) and son and heir of Christopher Burnell of Castleknock, Co.…

Burneyeat (Burnyeat), John (1631–90), quaker missionary, was born in Crabtreebeck, Cumberland. A pious, industrious farmer, he attended a meeting held by George Fox in 1653 and afterwards joined the Society of Friends. Following his conversion, he continued to farm and did not begin to…

Burnham, John (d. c.1362), clerk and treasurer of Ireland, was the son of William Burnham. In 1333, styled ‘magister’, he was presented to a church in Lincoln. By 1338 he was designated as a king's clerk and in 1340 was assigned to assess taxation in Bedford and…

Burn, James Dawson (1801?–c.1889), tradesman and author, was born probably in Co. Down, son of a farmer surnamed McBurney. Shortly afterwards his mother took him to Scotland, begging along with an alcoholic ex-soldier, an Irishman with whom she had other children. Burn's early…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Burns, Mary. View the original entry.

Burns, Mary (1823–63), mill hand and social radical, was born in Ireland, daughter of an Irish dyer who emigrated to Manchester. Shortly afterwards (1842), while employed there at the Victoria Mills of Ermen & Engels, she first met and fell in love with the socialist Friedrich…

Burns, Thomas (Tommy; ‘The Scotchman’) (1898–1991), jockey, was born 13 February 1898 in Ayrshire, Scotland, eldest son and third child of James Burns (d.1954), racehorse trainer, and Jane Burns (née Tait; d. 1931). Educated at Ayr Academy, he quickly eschewed school for the…

Burn, Thomas Henry (1875–1949), trade unionist and politician, was born in Belfast, son of Thomas Henry Burn. Little is known of his family life but he was educated at Belfast National School and subsequently trained as a lithographic printer. The Ulster Unionist Labour…

Burrowes, Peter (1753?–1841), barrister and politician, was born at Portarlington, Queen's Co., the first son of Thomas Burrowes, whose family was long established there. He entered TCD (1772), graduated …

Burrowes, Wesley (1930–2015), writer, was born in Bangor, Co. Down, on 26 April 1930, one of four children (two boys and two girls) of Harry Burrowes, a first world war veteran and civil servant attached to the Northern Ireland education department, and his wife Carrie Burrowes (née…

Burrows (Dobbin), Rachel (1912–87), actress, broadcaster, and teacher, was born 29 April 1912 in Limerick, the daughter of Peter Dobbin, county surveyor for Co. Clare, and Kathleen (née Vance), his second wife. Reared in Kilkishen House, Co. Clare, she was educated at St Brandon's…

Burton, Benjamin (a.1665–1728), banker and politician, was third son of Samuel Burton of Buncraggy, Co. Clare, and Margery Burton (née Harris). He was attainted by the Jacobites in 1689, was appointed sheriff of Dublin 19 October 1694, and in 1700 founded ‘Burton's bank’ in…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Burton, William Henry. View the original entry.

Burton, Francis (d. 1828), medical doctor, was born in Tuam, Co. Galway. He was apprenticed to a surgeon in Belfast on leaving school, and later worked in Dublin hospitals before entering the army as an assistant surgeon (May 1805). He became a member of the Royal College of…

Burton, Sir Frederic William (1816–1900), watercolour painter, was born 8 April 1816 at Clifden House, Corofin, Co. Clare, the third son of Samuel Frederic Burton, a wealthy landowner and amateur landscape painter, and Hannah Burton (née Mallet) of Dublin. An injury in childhood…

Burton, William Henry (1739–1818), landowner and MP, was born 16 July 1739, probably at Burton Hall, Co. Carlow, second son among four sons and two daughters of Benjamin Burton and Anne Burton (née Ponsonby). Benjamin Burton (1709–67), landowner and MP, was born 12 January 1709,…

Bury, Charles Kenneth Howard- (1883–1963), soldier, explorer, plant collector, and politician, was born 15 August 1883 in London, though his parents generally lived in Charleville castle, Tullamore, King's Co. (Co. Offaly). He was the only son of Captain Kenneth Howard, army officer…

Bury, Charles William (1764–1835), 1st earl of Charleville , developer of Tullamore and president of the RIA, was born 30 June 1764 in Dublin, the only son of John Bury of Shannongrove, Co. Limerick, and his wife, Catherine, daughter and co…

Bury, John Bagnell (1861–1927), classicist and historian, was born 16 October 1861 in Co. Monaghan, eldest of three (possibly four) sons and one daughter of Rev. Edward John Bury and Anna Bury (née Rogers). He was educated at Foyle College, Derry, and…

Bury, Lady Mairi (Elizabeth) (1921–2009), gardener and philatelist, was born 25 March 1921 at Mount Stewart, Co. Down, youngest of four daughters and one son of Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest Stewart (qv…

Bury, Sir William (1604/1605–1669), administrator, was the only son of William Bury of Grantham, Lincolnshire, and his wife, Emma, youngest daughter of John Dryden of Canons Ashby, Northamptonshire. He was baptised at Grantham on 3 June 1605 (or 1604), and had three elder sisters.…