Hugh Carleton, 1st Viscount Carleton PC (I) SL (11 September 1739 – 25 February 1826), was an Irish judge.
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Carleton was born in Cork city, son of Francis Carleton and Rebecca Lawton. His father was a wealthy merchant from a family which settled in Cork in the time of Charles I; he was also a powerful local politician, popularly known as "the King of Cork".[1] Hugh was educated at Kilkenny College and the University of Dublin, where he matriculated in 1755. He entered Middle Temple in 1758 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1764, King's Counsel in 1768.
With his father's influence Carleton was assured of a seat in the Irish House of Commons: he was elected member for Tuam in 1772, for Philipstown in 1776 and for Naas in 1783. As a politician he was not a success: M.P.s complained he was inaudible,[2] though oddly this fault did not prevent him becoming a highly successful barrister.
Carleton was Recorder of Cork in 1769, third serjeant in 1776 and second serjeant in 1777. He became Solicitor General for Ireland in 1779 and Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas from 1787 to 1800. In 1787 he was invested as a member of the Privy Council of Ireland. He was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Carleton, of Amner, on 17 September 1789, and was further honoured when he was made Viscount Carleton, of Clare, on 21 November 1797, also in the Irish peerage. On his death in 1826, both titles became extinct.
Lord Carleton was highly regarded as a judge, but his hypochondria made him a subject of ridicule, since like many hypochondriacs he enjoyed excellent health. His decision to retire on health grounds at 60 was greeted with derision, fully justified since he survived another quarter century.[3]
He married firstly in 1766 Elizabeth Mercer of Dublin, who died in 1794, and secondly the following year Mary Buckley of Dorset who died in 1810.[4] He had no children by either marriage. He lived at Willow Park, Booterstown and at a succession of town houses in Dublin. In his last years he lived in London and died at Hanover Square.[5]
He was a member of the Royal Irish Academy.
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Tonson Richard Power |
Member of Parliament for Tuam 1772–1776 With: William Tonson |
Succeeded by James Browne Sir Henry Lynch-Blosse |
| Preceded by Duke Tyrrell Richard Rochfort-Mervyn |
Member of Parliament for Philipstown 1776–1783 With: John Handcock |
Succeeded by John Toler Henry Cope |
| Preceded by Hon. John Bourke Thomas Allan |
Member of Parliament for Naas 1783–1787 With: Lord Naas |
Succeeded by Lord Naas Sir Richard Gorges-Meredyth |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by Robert Hellen |
Solicitor-General for Ireland 1779–1787 |
Succeeded by Arthur Wolfe |
| Preceded by Marcus Paterson |
Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas 1787–1800 |
Succeeded by The Lord Norbury |
| Peerage of Ireland | ||
| New creation | Viscount Carleton 1797–1826 |
Extinct |
| Baron Carleton 1789–1826 |
||