Biographies A-Z

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Todd, John

Todd, John (d. c.1612), Church of Ireland bishop of Down and Connor, and of Dromore, had originally been a Jesuit; he had trained at Rome. After his conversion to the Church of Ireland, the circumstances of which are unknown, his ascent in the church was rapid. He was…

Todd, Robert Bentley

Todd, Robert Bentley (1809–60), physician, teacher, and physiologist, was born 9 April 1809 in Dublin, second among nine sons and six daughters of Charles Hawkes Todd (qv), surgeon, and Elizabeth Todd (née Bentley). He was…

Todhunter, John

Todhunter, John (1839–1916), poet, playwright, and physician, was born 30 December 1839 at 19 Sir John Rogerson's Quay, Dublin, elder son of Thomas Harvey Todhunter, merchant, and Hannah Todhunter (née Harvey), a native of Limerick city. His paternal grandfather, also John…

Tod, Isabella Maria Susan

Tod, Isabella Maria Susan (1836–96), feminist and reformer, was born 18 May 1836 in Edinburgh, daughter of James Banks Tod, merchant, and Maria Isabella Tod (née Waddell). There was at least one other child, a brother who became a prosperous merchant in London. Tod seems to have had no…

Toksvig, Signe

This is a co-subject for the entry on Hackett, Francis. View the original entry.

Tólae

Tólae (d. 738), bishop of Clonard and a saint in the Irish tradition, is traced by an annotator of the Martyrology of Óengus (qv) (fl. c.830) to Dál Fiatach, although later sources are unanimous in assigning him to the…

Toland, John

Toland, John (1670–1722), freethinker and polemical writer, was probably born in Inishowen, Co. Donegal, on 30 November 1670. Reputed to be the illegitimate son of a catholic priest, Toland may have been baptised ‘Joannes Eugenius’, which he later altered to a pen name, ‘Janus Junius’.…

Toler, John

Toler, John (1741?–1831), 1st earl of Norbury , judge and MP, was second son of Daniel Toler of Beechwood, Co. Tipperary, and of the latter's second wife, Letitia, daughter of Thomas Otway, of Castle Otway, also of Co. Tipperary. After school in Kilkenny, he attended…

Tollet, George

Tollet, George (d. c.1721/2), mathematician and early scientist, had (although details of his parents and date of birth are unknown) three brothers, Charles, John, and Thomas, and a sister, Mary. All of his siblings were married, and had children: Charles had a son named…

Tomelty, Joseph

Tomelty, Joseph (1911–95), actor and playwright, was born 12 March 1911 in Portaferry, Co. Down, son of James Tomelty, house painter and keen traditional musician, and Mary Tomelty (née Drumgoole). Apprenticed to his father's trade from the local school Ballyphilip at the age of 12…

Tone, Mathew

Tone, Mathew (1769?–98), French army officer, was the third son in the family of four sons and two daughters of Peter Tone (d. 1805), a coachmaker of Stafford St., Dublin, and his wife Margaret (d. 1818?), daughter of a ship's captain in the West India trade, probably James…

Tone, Matilda (Martha)

Tone, Matilda (Martha) (1769–1849), wife of Theobald Wolfe Tone (qv), is notable for her preservation and publication of his literary remains. She was born 17 June 1769 and called Martha, the eldest daughter in the family of four…

Tone, Theobald Wolfe

Tone, Theobald Wolfe (1763–98), United Irishman, political publicist, diarist, and French army officer, was born 20 June 1763 in Dublin either at Liffey Street or at 44 Stafford Street. Around the time of his birth, his family moved to 44 Stafford Street (now Wolfe Tone Street) where he…

Tone, William Henry

Tone, William Henry (1764–1802), East India Company and mercenary soldier, was born in August 1764, second son in the family of four sons and two daughters of Peter Tone (d. 1805), a coachmaker of Stafford St., Dublin, and his wife Margaret (d. 1818?), daughter of a ship's captain…

Tone, William Theobald Wolfe

Tone, William Theobald Wolfe (1791–1828), officer in the French and American armies, was born 29 April 1791 in Dublin, a son of Theobald Wolfe Tone (qv) and his wife Matilda Tone (…

Tonna, Charlotte Elizabeth

Tonna, Charlotte Elizabeth (1790-1846), evangelical journalist and novelist, was born Charlotte Elizabeth Browne on 1 October 1790 in Norwich, England, daughter of Michael Browne, a minor canon of the cathedral, and his wife (probably a Murray). Her maternal grandmother, of Scots…

Tooke, Benjamin

This is a co-subject for the entry on Tooke, Benjamin. View the original entry.

Tooke, Benjamin

Tooke, Benjamin (c.1642–1716), bookseller and printer, was born in England, probably the son of the Rev. Thomas Tuke, vicar of St Olave's, though he always spelt his name Took or Tooke. In 1657 he was apprenticed to John Crooke…

Topping, Walter William Buchanan

Topping, Walter William Buchanan (1908–78), barrister, judge, and politician, was born 13 January 1908 in Belfast, second son of Walter W. Topping, a manager of a linen warehouse, and his Scots wife, Jane. There were also at least two daughters in the prosperous household. He was…

Torbach (Calbach)

Torbach (Calbach) (d. 808), from Cluain Cracha, coarb (successor) of St Patrick (qv) at Armagh, died on 16 July 808, after only a year in office. His father Gormán, who had been the coarb of St…

Torrance, Francis

Torrance, Francis (1816–86), manufacturer and entrepreneur, was born in Co. Donegal, one among eight children of Francis Torrance, said to be the seventh in a direct line of farmers of that name who had come from Kirkintilloch, Scotland, and settled near Letterkenny, Co. Donegal,…

Torrance, George William

Torrance, George William (1835–1907), clergyman and composer, was born at Rathmines, Dublin, eldest son of George Torrance, tailor, and Elizabeth Torrance (née Flynn). Educated locally, he had a talent for music and at the age of 12 became a chorister at Christ Church cathedral (…

Torrens, David Smyth

Torrens, David Smyth (1897–1967), professor of physiology and amateur horologist, was born 10 September 1897 in the Carragh district of Culnaman townland, Moneydig, Garvagh, Co. Londonderry, eldest son among three sons and a daughter of David Torrens, farmer, and Margaret Torrens…

Torrens, Robert

Torrens, Robert (c.1780–1864), political economist, was born in Ulster, probably at Hervey Hill rectory, Kilrea, Co. Londonderry (though Hazelwood House, Rasharkin, Co. Antrim, has also been suggested). He was eldest among three children of Robert Torrens and his wife…

Torrens, Robert

Torrens, Robert (1774–1856), judge, was born 14 October 1774, near Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, second son of the Rev. Thomas Torrens (1741–c.1780) of Londonderry and his wife Elizabeth (d. early 1780s), daughter of Sir Samuel Curry. It is likely that he accompanied his…