Biggs, Christopher Thomas Ewart-
Biggs, Christopher Thomas Ewart- (1921–76), UK ambassador to Ireland, was born 5 August 1921 in England, the only child of Lt-col. Henry Ewart-Biggs, of the Royal Engineers, and Mollie Hilda Madelene Ewart-Biggs (née Brice). For much of his childhood his father was on active service, so…...
Binchy, Daniel Anthony
Binchy, Daniel Anthony (1899–1989), historian and diplomat, was born 3 June 1899 on Main Street, Charleville, Co. Cork, second son (there were at least three other surviving children) of William Patrick Binchy, shopkeeper, and his wife Annie (née Browne). EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER He…...
Bingham (Byngham), Sir Richard
Bingham (Byngham), Sir Richard (1528–99), soldier and administrator, was third son among eight sons and two daughters of Richard Bingham of Melcombe Bingham (or the nearby Bingham's Melcombe), Dorset, and Alice Bingham (née Coker) of Mappowder, about three miles away. He served…...
Bingley, Sir Ralph
Bingley, Sir Ralph (c.1570–1627), servitor, and second of at least three brothers from Broughton, Flintshire, Wales, served with Drake and Hawkins on their last Caribbean raid (1595–6), helped to raise troops in southern England (1596–7), and commanded 150 foot under Sir…...
Binks, J. Harold
Binks, J. Harold (1911–86), trade unionist, was born in Portadown, Co. Armagh, one of several sons of Thomas J. Binks (who was probably the Thomas James Binks, carpenter, resident at 66 Hanover Street, married to Annie S. Binks (née Kelly)). He attended a mixed-denominational…...
Blachford, Theodosia
Blachford, Theodosia (1744–1817?), philanthropist and leading methodist, was born at her father's residence in Rosanna, Co. Wicklow, only daughter of William Tighe (qv), landowner and MP, and Lady Mary Tighe of Rathmore, Co. Meath,…...
Blackmore, Sir Charles Henry
Blackmore, Sir Charles Henry (1880–1967), civil servant, was born 26 July 1880 at Exeter Street, Chudleigh, Newton Abbot, Devon, England, the son of William John Blackmore, carpenter, and Catherine (Martin) Blackmore. In the early years of the century he joined the civil service and…...
Black, Samuel
Black, Samuel (1763/4–1832), physician, was born at Marymount in the townland of Lurganbane, Dromore, Co. Down, son of James Black (1719–1803), a minor landowner who was engaged in the linen industry, and Mary Black (née Cullen) (1724–1810). He had five brothers and a sister and was…...
Black, Sir Harold
Black, Sir Harold (1914–81), public servant, was born 9 April 1914 at 10 Burmah St., Belfast, elder son of Alexander Black (1879–1946), employee in a local linen business, and Emily Adelaide Black (née Cordner; 1883–1949). His father later became a company director. He was…...
Blackwood, Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple-
Blackwood, Frederick Temple Hamilton-Temple- (1826–1902), 1st marquess of Dufferin and Ava , diplomat and writer, was born in Florence on 21 June 1826, the only child of Price Blackwood, 4th Baron Dufferin and Clandeboye (in the Irish peerage), and his wife,…...
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton)
Blackwood, Hariot Georgina (Rowan-Hamilton) (1843–1936), marchioness of Dufferin and Ava , philanthropist and author, was born 5 February 1843, eldest of seven children of Archibald Rowan and Catherine Rowan-Hamilton (née Caldwell) of Killyleagh Castle, Co. Down. She married (23…...
Bladen, Martin
Bladen, Martin (1682?–1746), soldier, administrator, and politician, was born in Bolton, Yorkshire, third son of Yorkshire parents: Nathaniel Bladen of Hemsworth and Isabella Bladen (née Fairfax) of Steeton. William Bladen, mayor of Dublin 1647–8 and state printer under the…...
Blake, Anthony Richard
Blake, Anthony Richard (1786–1849), lawyer, administrator, and ‘backstairs viceroy of Ireland’, was second son of Martin Blake of Holly Park, Athenry, Co. Galway. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn, London, 13 May 1808. A protégé of Charles Butler, former secretary of the catholic…...
Blake, John Aloysius
Blake, John Aloysius (1826–87), politician and government official, was born in Waterford city, son of Andrew Blake, gentleman, and Mary Blake (née Gallwey). A Roman Catholic, he was educated at King's College, Waterford, and Government College at Pau in France. His political…...
Blake, Sir Henry Arthur
Blake, Sir Henry Arthur (1840–1918), police officer, resident magistrate, and colonial governor, was born 18 January 1840 in Corbally, Co. Limerick, son of Peter Blake (1809–50) of Corbally Castle, Co. Galway, county inspector of Irish Constabulary, and Jane Blake (née Lane) of…...
Bland, John Otway Percy
Bland, John Otway Percy (1863–1945), administrator, journalist and travel writer, was born 15 November 1863 in Woodbank, Whiteabbey, Co. Antrim, second son of Maj.-gen. Edward Loftus Bland and Emma Frances Bland (née Franks) of Jerpoint, Co. Kilkenny. Educated in Switzerland and…...
Blease, William John ('Billy')
Blease, William John ('Billy') (1914–2008), Baron Blease of Cromac, trade unionist and politician, was born 28 May 1914 in Gosford Street, off the Ormeau Road, Belfast, eldest of three sons and one daughter of William John Blease (1886–1954), restaurant chef and trade-union activist,…...
Bligh, John
Bligh, John (1617–66), customs official, was baptised on 22 February 1617, the third son of William Bligh of Plymouth. His early career is uncertain but he appears to have lived in London as a linen draper. He invested in the adventure for Irish land, purchasing shares in several…...
Blomfield, Sara Louisa
Blomfield, Sara Louisa , Lady (1859–1939), Bahá'í pioneer and humanitarian, was born in Knockanevin, Borrisoleigh, near Thurles, Co. Tipperary, the daughter of Matthew (Matthias) John Ryan and his wife Emily (née Crowe). Religious tension between her catholic father and anglo-…...
Blount, Charles Brooke
Blount, Charles Brooke (1563–1606), 8th Baron Mountjoy and earl of Devonshire , soldier and administrator, was second son of James Blount (1532/3–1581), 6th Baron Mountjoy, of Canford near Poole, Dorset, and his wife Catherine (née Lee/Leigh; d. 1576) of St Oswald's, Yorkshire.…...
Blythe, Ernest (de Blaghd, Earnán)
Blythe, Ernest (de Blaghd, Earnán) (1889–1975), revolutionary, politician, government minister, managing director of the Abbey Theatre, and Irish-language revivalist, was born 13 April 1889 at Magheragall, Lisburn, Co. Antrim, eldest child among two sons and two daughters of James…...
Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold
Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold (1606–53) and , Gerard (1604–50), physicians and authors, were brothers, born in Gorinchem in the Netherlands, the sons of Godefroy de Boot and his wife Christina van Loon. Medical graduates of the University of Leiden, they settled…...
Boate, Gerard
This is a co-subject for the entry on Boate (De Boote, Boet, Bootius, Botius), Arnold. View the original entry....
Boisseleau, Alexandre de Rainier de Droué
Boisseleau, Alexandre de Rainier de Droué (c.1650–1698), marquis of Boisseleau , French major-general and governor of Limerick, was not yet 40 at the time of his appointment to command the besieged Jacobite forces in Limerick, but had spent most of his life in the French…...
Boland, Frederick H.
Boland, Frederick H. (1904–85), diplomat, was born 11 January 1904 in Dublin, second son of Henry Patrick Boland (qv) (later senior assistant secretary at the Department of Finance) and his wife Charlotte (née Nolan). He was educated…...