Isaac Barré
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Isaac Barré (1726 – 1802) was a British soldier and politician.[1]
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[edit] Military career
Born in Dublin, Ireland and the son of a French refugee, he was educated at Trinity College. While his parents had hoped for him to study law and though he had potential as an actor, he instead entered the British Army in 1746. In 1759, he was with General James Wolfe during the defeat of the French in the Battle of Quebec, where he was severely wounded in the right cheek, changing his appearance and leaving him blind in his right eye. Despite many years of commendable service, Barré was denied a promotion by William Pitt the Elder.[2]
[edit] Political career
His entry into parliament in 1761 under the auspices of Lord Shelburne, who had selected him "as a bravo to run down Mr. Pitt," was characterized by a vigorous attack on William Pitt the Elder, of whom, however, he became ultimately a devoted adherent.
A vigorous opponent of the taxation of America, Barré displayed his mastery of invective in his championship of the American cause, and the name "Sons of Liberty," which he had applied to the colonists in one of his speeches, became a common designation of the American organizations directed against the Stamp Act, as well as of later patriotic clubs. His appointment in 1782 to the treasurership of the navy, which carried with it a pension of £3200 a year, at a time when the government was ostensibly advocating economy, caused great discontent; subsequently, however, he received from the younger Pitt the clerkship of the pells, a sinecure for life, in place of the pension, which thus was saved to the public. Becoming blind, he retired from office in 1790 and died on July 20, 1802.
Barré was posthumously awarded the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by Lord Bute in 1863.[2]
[edit] Eponyms
The city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania was named for John Wilkes and Isaac Barré. The towns of Barre, Massachusetts and Barre, Vermont were also named for Barré.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Barré, Isaac". The Columbia University (6th ed.). (December 2007). New York: Columbia University Press. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
- ^ a b Petrillo, F. Charles (1988). Wilkes Naming Wilkes-Barre. John Wilkes and Isaac Barre: Politics and Controversy in Eighteenth Century Graphics. Sordoni Art Gallery, Wilkes University. Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
[edit] External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Welbore Ellis |
Treasurer of the Navy 1782 |
Succeeded by Henry Dundas |
| Preceded by Edmund Burke |
Paymaster of the Forces 1782–1783 |
Succeeded by Edmund Burke |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
| Preceded by Viscount FitzMaurice Robert Waller |
Member of Parliament for Wycombe 1761–1774 with Robert Waller |
Succeeded by Robert Waller Thomas Fitzmaurice |
| Preceded by Thomas Fitzmaurice John Dunning |
Member of Parliament for Calne 1774–1790 with John Dunning 1774-1782 James Townsend 1782-1787 Joseph Jekyll 1787-1790 |
Succeeded by Joseph Jekyll John Morris |
