Biographies A-Z

Pennefather, Richard (1773–1859), judge and chief baron of the exchequer in Ireland, was born in August 1773 at Dublin, the eldest son of Major William Pennefather, of Knockeven (between Clonmel and Cashel), Darling Hill, Co. Tipperary (MP for Cashel in the Irish parliament), and…

Pennefather, William (1816–73), evangelist, philanthropist, and hymn writer, was born 5 February 1816 at 5 Merrion Square, Dublin, the youngest son of the eight children of Richard Pennefather (qv), chief baron of the exchequer in…

Penn, William (1644–1718), quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania, was born 14 October 1644 in London, the elder of two sons (there was also a daughter) of William Penn (1621–70), a naval commander, and his wife, Margaret Penn (née Jasper) (1610?–1682). Penn's mother was the…

Penrose, Cooper (1736–1815), quaker and merchant, was born 12 April 1736 in Co. Cork, eldest son among four children of John Penrose, timber merchant, and Anne Penrose (née Cooper). His father died when he was 4 and Cooper moved to Carlow and then Dublin, where the family lived at…

Penrose, George (1722–96), merchant and co-founder of the Waterford glass works, was born 5 September 1722, ninth son among twelve children of William Penrose I, merchant, and Margaret Penrose (née Godfrey), of Co. Waterford. The Penroses were one of a close knit group of quaker…

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Pepyat, Jeremiah (c.1683–1753?), printer and bookseller, was apprenticed to John North of Dublin in 1697 and on North's death that same year moved to Joseph Ray (qv), with whom he served seven years apprenticeship; nothing else is…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Pepyat, Jeremiah. View the original entry.

This is a co-subject for the entry on Pepyat, Jeremiah. View the original entry.

Pepys, Sir Richard (1588?–1659), barrister and chief justice of Ireland, was born in Cottenham, Cambridgeshire, England, second son of John Pepys, of the Middle Temple, and Elizabeth Pepys (née Bendish). He was an uncle of Samuel Pepys, the noted seventeenth-century diarist. He…

Perceval (Percival), Sir John (1683–1748), 1st earl of Egmont , politician, was born 12 July 1683 at Burton, near Kanturk, Co. Cork. He was descended from Richard Perceval (qv) and Sir…

Perceval, Richard (c.1558–1620), official in Ireland, was the eldest son of George Perceval (d. c.1599), of Sydenham, Somerset, England, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir Edward Bampfylde, of Poltimore, Devon. He entered the Merchant Taylors’…

Perceval, Robert (1756–1839), physician, chemist, traveller, and founding member of the RIA, was born 30 September 1756 in Dublin, third and youngest son of William Perceval, barrister, and his second wife, Elizabeth Perceval (née Ward; d.…

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Percival (Perceval), Sir Phillip (1605–47), landowner and government official, was the second son of Richard Percival of Tickenham, Somerset, and his second wife, Alice Sherman of Ottery St Mary, Devon. His father was the clerk of the court of wards in Ireland and trained Phillip…

Percy, Hugh (1785–1847), 3rd duke of Northumberland , lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born 20 April 1785 in England, eldest son of Hugh Percy (1742–1817), 2nd duke of Northumberland, and his second wife, Frances Julia (née Burrell). Educated at Eton and St John's College,…

Percy (Smithson), Hugh (1715–86), duke of Northumberland , lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born Hugh Smithson 19 December 1715 at Newby Wiske, Yorkshire, the only son of Langdale Smithson, landowner, and Philadelphia Smithson (née Revely). Raised as a catholic, he converted to…

Percy, Thomas (1729–1811), bishop of Dromore, poet, and scholar, was born 13 April 1729 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire, England, son of Arthur Piercy or Pearcy, grocer, and his wife Jane (née Nott); there was at least one other son. Thomas was educated at the local grammar school, and…

Perolz, Mary (Máire, Marie) (1874–1950), republican and trade unionist, was born 7 May 1874 in Market Alley, Limerick city, daughter of Richard Perolz, a Dublin-born, protestant printer of French Huguenot origin, and Bridget Perolz (née Carter), a catholic. The family moved to Tralee,…

Perrin, Louis (1782–1864), judge, was born 15 February 1782 probably in Waterford city, son of Jean-Baptiste Perrin (d. c.1820?), peripatetic émigré French teacher and writer. His Irish mother was named Daly. Between 1750 and 1814 his father turned out at least nine…

Perrot, John (d. 1665), quaker, is of unknown origins. He may have been born in Ireland. He claimed to be the illegitimate son of Sir John Perrot (qv), former lord deputy of Ireland, but there is no evidence to support his claim. In 1655 he…

Perrot, Sir John (1528–92), lord deputy of Ireland, was son of Mary Perrot (neé Berkeley) and Thomas Perrot of Harroldston, Pembrokeshire, Wales. His paternity was the subject of much scandalmongering in his own lifetime, but the rumour (spread by the inveterate gossip Robert…

Perry, Anthony (d. 1798), United Irishman and rebel leader, was born in Co. Down into a protestant family; no further details of his background are known. He acquired a ‘college education’ (Madden, iii, 542). By the later 1790s he had been resident at Perrymount, near Inch, north Co.…

Perry, John (1850–1920), engineer, physicist, and educational reformer, was born 14 February 1850 in Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, second son of Samuel Perry of Garvagh and his wife Agnes (née Smith; d. 1905). His father was a house painter and glazier in Garvagh, before taking his…

This is a co-subject for the entry on Bagwell, Richard. View the original entry.