Vernon, John Fane
Vernon, John Fane (1849–1923), lawyer, land agent, JP, and governor of the Bank of Ireland, was born 5 July 1849 at Bingfield, Co. Cavan, the eldest of the two sons and one daughter of John Edward Vernon of Erne Hill, Co. Cavan, land agent,…...
Walker, John
Walker, John (1768–1833), religious leader and classical scholar, was born in January 1768 in Co. Roscommon, son of the Rev. Matthew Walker, Church of Ireland clergyman. In January 1786 he entered TCD, being made a scholar in 1788,…...
Walker, Sir Samuel
Walker, Sir Samuel (1832–1911), 1st baronet, lord chancellor of Ireland, was born 19 June 1832 at Gore Port, Finea, Co. Westmeath, second of three sons of Capt. Alexander Walker, soldier, and Elizabeth Walker (née Elliott); his older brother was Gen.…...
Wallace, Robert Hugh
Wallace, Robert Hugh (1860–1929), Orangeman, soldier and political activist, was born in English Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down, on 14 December 1860, son of William Nevin Wallace, solicitor and landowner, and his second wife, Catherine Mary (d. 1877), daughter of Francis Charles…...
Wallop, Sir Henry
Wallop, Sir Henry (c.1531–1599), administrator, was eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop of Farleigh, Hampshire, England, and his wife Bridget Pigott of Beachampton, Buckinghamshire. At an unknown date, he married Katherine, daughter of Richard Gifford of King's Somborne,…...
Walsh, Sir Nicholas
Walsh, Sir Nicholas (d. 1615), government official and judge, may have been a son of James Walsh, who was mayor of Waterford in 1547. He appears to have been a favourite of Thomas Butler (qv), earl of Ormond. Little is known of his…...
Wandesforde, Christopher
Wandesforde, Christopher (1592–1640), lord deputy of Ireland, was born 24 September 1592 near Beverley in Yorkshire, the eldest son of Sir George Wandesforde of Kirklington, Yorkshire, and of Catherine, daughter of Ralph Hensby. He began his education at the free school of Well…...
Ward, Maxwell Richard Crosbie
Ward, Maxwell Richard Crosbie (1868–1950), 6th Viscount Bangor , politician, was born 4 May 1868, third son of Henry William Crosbie (1828–1911), 5th Viscount Bangor, representative peer, JP and DL…...
Ware, Sir James
Ware, Sir James (1594–1666), historian, collector of manuscripts, and civil servant, was born 16 November 1594 at Castle St., Dublin, eldest surviving son among ten children of Sir James Ware, auditor general, and his wife Mary, sister of Sir Ambrose Briden of Maidstone, Kent, whose…...
Warren, Nathaniel
Warren, Nathaniel (c.1737–1796), merchant, MP, and first commissioner of police, was born in Dublin. His parentage is unclear, but a number of Warrens were engaged as merchants and glaziers in the city prior to his birth. Alternatively, he may be the son of Oliver Warren…...
Waterhouse (Waterhous), Sir Edward
Waterhouse (Waterhous), Sir Edward (1535–91), chancellor of the Irish exchequer, was born at Helmstedbury, Hertfordshire, youngest son of John Waterhouse of Whitechurch, Buckinghamshire, and his wife Margaret, daughter of Henry Turner of Blunt's Hall, Suffolk. Having commenced his…...
Wellesley (Wesley), Richard Colley
Wellesley (Wesley), Richard Colley (1760–1842), Marquis Wellesley , governor-general of Bengal and lord lieutenant of Ireland, was born 20 June 1760 at Dangan Castle, Co. Meath, eldest child of Garret Wesley (qv), 1st Viscount…...
Wesley, Garrett
Wesley, Garrett (1735–81), amateur musician, politician, and 1st earl of Mornington , was born 19 July 1735, probably at Dangan Castle, Co. Meath, the only surviving son of Richard Wesley (originally Colley), later 1st Baron Mornington, and Elizabeth Wesley (née Sale). Educated by…...
Wesley, Richard (Colley)
Wesley, Richard (Colley) (c.1690–1758), politician and 1st Baron Mornington , was born Richard Colley, near Edenderry, King's Co. (Offaly), sixth and youngest son of Henry Colley, of Castle Carbery, Co. Kildare, politician and landowner, and Mary Colley (née Usher).…...
Weston, Nicholas
Weston, Nicholas (d. 1617), merchant, was the son of John Weston, a merchant of Drogheda, and his wife Hamonella, daughter of Nicholas Merchant, also a Drogheda merchant. In 1577 Nicholas was admitted a citizen of Dublin and lived on the High Street. He rose rapidly up the city's…...
Whaley, Richard Chapel (Burn-Chapel)
This is a co-subject for the entry on Whaley, Thomas (‘Buck’). View the original entry....
Wheeler, George Bomford
Wheeler, George Bomford (1805/8–1877), anglican clergyman, classical scholar, and editor of the Irish Times, was son of James Wheeler; his mother's name is unknown. Very little is known of his early life and the records of TCD…...
White, Luke
White, Luke (c.1740–1824), bookseller, millionaire, and politician, was born about 1740 and possibly originated in Cork city, as both his wives were from there and his brother, Thomas White, was listed as a Cork bookseller. A protestant, he may have been of huguenot…...
Whitworth, Charles
Whitworth, Charles (1752–1825), Earl Whitworth lord lieutenant of Ireland and diplomat, was born 19 May 1752 at Leybourne Grange, Kent, eldest son among three sons and four daughters of Sir Charles Whitworth (d. 1778), MP, and his wife, Martha (née Shelley; d. 1786). Whitworth was…...
Williams, Jane
Williams, Jane (1771–1845), silversmith, was born 2 December 1771 in Cork, the eldest of seven daughters and two sons born to Carden Terry , silversmith, and his wife Catherine (née Webb), daughter of Stonewell Webb, also a silversmith. Carden was born 1742 to John Terry, a burgess…...
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward
Wingfield, Mervyn Edward (1836–1904), 7th Viscount Powerscourt , landowner, politician, and connoisseur, was born 13 October 1836 at Powerscourt Castle, near Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow, the eldest of the three sons of Richard Wingfield (1815–44), sixth viscount, and his wife, Lady…...
Wogan, William
Wogan, William (1678–1758), London agent of the Irish government, philanthropist, and religious writer, was born in Gumfreston in Pembrokeshire, a younger son of Ethelred Wogan (d. c.1685), rector of Gumfreston and vicar of Penally. His mother's first name is unknown, but…...
Wolfe, George
Wolfe, George (1859–1941), soldier, landowner, antiquarian, and politician, was born 16 December 1859 at Bishopland, Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare, younger son among two sons and one daughter of Theobald George Samuel Wolfe (1815–72), landowner, of Bishopland and Forenaghts, Naas…...
Wolff, Gustav Wilhelm
Wolff, Gustav Wilhelm (1834–1913), shipbuilder, businessman, and politician, was born in Hamburg, the son of Moritz Wolff and Fanny Maria Schwabe. Gustav left home at the age of fourteen to study engineering at Liverpool College, staying with his uncle Gustav Schwabe. He was…...
Wood, Herbert
Wood, Herbert (1860–1955), archivist, historian, deputy keeper of the Public Record Office of Ireland, was born on 6 September 1860 at Trinity Square, Lambeth, London, a prosperous residential development for merchants and professionals. He was the sixth of eight children of William…...