Biographies A-Z

Patten, James (d. p.1780), naval surgeon, was born in Ulster, son of the Rev. William Patten. Appointed as a Royal Navy surgeon, he sailed with Capt. James Cook on board HMS Resolution during Cook's second voyage of…

Patten, John (1774–1864), associate of Robert Emmet (qv) and librarian of the RDS, was born 16 August 1774, youngest among three children of the Rev. J. Patten (d. 1787) of Annerville, presbyterian…

Patterson, Annie Wilson (1868–1934), musician, author, and music teacher, was born 27 October 1868 in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, daughter of Thomas Rankin Patterson, bakery owner, and Martha Macaulay Patterson (née Wilson), a distant relative of Lord Macaulay. She attended Alexandra…

Patterson, Frank (1938–2000), singer, was born 5 October 1938 in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, eldest of three sons and one daughter of Sheamus Patterson, maintenance foreman in Kickham army barracks in the town, and Mary ‘May’ Patterson (née Slater). Educated locally at Saints Peter…

Patterson, John Francis (‘Johnny’) (1840–89), clown and songwriter, was born in Kilbarron, near Feakle, Co. Clare, youngest among two sons and two daughters of Francis Patterson, nailer, and his wife, of whom nothing is known. Orphaned as an infant, Johnny was raised by his uncle,…

Patterson, John Henry (1867–1947), army officer, game hunter, and Zionist, was born 10 November 1867 at Forgney, Ballymahon, Co. Westmeath, the son of a protestant father, Henry Patterson. He joined the British army at Dublin in 1885 and was posted with the 3rd dragoon guards to…

Patterson, Ottilie Anna (1932–2011), blues and jazz singer, was born on 31 January 1932 at 26 Carnesure Terrace, Comber, Co. Down, the youngest of four children (two boys and two girls) of Joseph Patterson (d. 1975), a driver and ex-British army soldier, and his wife Juliet (née ēgers…

Patterson, Robert (1743–1824), mathematician and educator, was born 30 May 1743 at Hillsborough, Co. Down, eldest son among three sons and two daughters of Robert Patterson, presbyterian farmer, and Jane Patterson (née Walker). Educated locally, he displayed a natural talent for…

Patterson, Robert (1802–72), naturalist and poet, was born 18 April 1802 in Belfast, eldest son among three sons and a daughter of Robert Patterson, ironmonger, who supplied equipment for linen mills, and his wife Catherine Patterson (neé Clarke), who was from Dublin. He attended…

Patterson, Robert James (1868–1930), presbyterian minister and temperance campaigner, was born 1 January 1868 in Ballymoyer, Whitecross, Co. Armagh, second son of Samuel Patterson and Margaret Patterson (née Ranton). His father was probably a farmer, but a half-brother and three…

Patterson, Sarah (‘Saidie’) (1904–85), trade unionist and peace activist, was born 25 November 1904 at 32 Woodvale St., Shankill Road, Belfast, eldest of three children of William Patterson (d. 1912), shipyard blacksmith, and Sarah Patterson (née Moore), both of whom were devout…

Patterson, Sir Robert Lloyd (1836–1906), amateur naturalist, art collector, and linen manufacturer, was born 28 December 1836 at 3 College Square North, Belfast, second son among five sons and six daughters of Robert Patterson (qv) (…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Patterson, Sir Robert Lloyd. View the original entry.

Paulet (Powlett), Charles (1661–1722), 7th marquis of Winchester and 2nd duke of Bolton , lord lieutenant of Ireland, was the eldest surviving son of Charles Paulet, 6th marquess of Winchester and 1st duke of Bolton, and his second wife, Mary, natural daughter of Emmanuel Le…

Paulet, Sir George (d. 1608), governor of Derry, was son of Sir George Paulet, brother of the 1st marquis of Winchester, and Elizabeth, daughter of William Windsor, 2nd Baron Windsor. He attended King's College, Cambridge in the early 1570s, served as justice of the peace in…

Paul, John (1777–1848), Reformed Presbyterian minister, was born at Tobernaveen, Co. Antrim, only son of John Paul, farmer; nothing is known of his mother. His classics teacher was a Mr Matthews; Paul attended the University of Glasgow and the Divinity Hall, and on 16 November…

Payn, Adam (d. 1431/2), theologian and bishop of Cloyne, belonged to an English family which was established at various locations in Leinster by the early fourteenth century at latest. Adam Payn became an Augustinian friar, was ordained priest and obtained a master's degree in…

Payne, Basil (1923–2012), poet and performer, was born on 23 June 1923 at Holles Street maternity hospital, Dublin, one of seven children (four boys and three girls) of Michael Francis Payne, a chauffeur, and his wife Annie (née Hanvey). A third-generation Dubliner, his family…

Payne, Davy (Hugh David) (1948?–2003), loyalist paramilitary, was born in Belfast, where he was brought up in the Woodvale area of the Shankill Road. He was involved in loyalist activism from his teens (although he later falsely claimed to have been radicalised by IRA bombings in the…

Payne, John (c.1430–1507), bishop of Meath and master of the rolls, was an Anglo-Irish Dominican who studied theology at Oxford, where his doctorate in theology was incorporated in 1473. Elected as the prior of the English province of his order (27 March 1474), he was…

Payne, Robert (d. 1592), planter and author, was born in Nottinghamshire, England. An entrepreneur who had been involved in a number of textile projects in Nottinghamshire, but who also had an interest in agriculture, he is thought to have been the author of a tract, Rob.…

Peacock, Bertie (John Robert) (1928–2004), football player and manager, was born in Coleraine, Co. Londonderry, on 29 September 1928. His family lived in Killowen in the town; his father was a water bailiff, and he had a brother and five sisters. He was apprenticed to a local plumber…

Peacocke, Joseph Ferguson (1835–1916), Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin, was born 5 November 1835 at Abbeyleix, Queen's Co. (Laois), the youngest son of George Peacocke, a Longford doctor, and his wife Catherine (née Ferguson). He was educated at…

Pearce, Sir Edward Lovett (d. 1733), architect and surveyor, was probably born in the late 1690s. His father was Major-general Edward Pearce (d. 1715) of Witlingham, Norfolk, and Dublin, who was a brother of Major-general Thomas Pearce (d. 1739), and a first cousin of Sir John…

Pearse (Brady), Margaret (1857–1932), nationalist and dáil deputy, was born in Dublin, the daughter of Patrick Brady, coal merchant, and his wife, Brigid Brady (née Savage) of Oldtown, Co. Dublin. Educated by the Sisters of St Vincent de Paul, she worked in a stationer's shop…