Henry Joy (judge)

Henry Joy (born 1767, died June 5, 1838, near Dublin)^[1] was an Irish judge. He was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland in 1822, and Attorney-General for Ireland in 1827. He was made Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in 1831, a position he held until his death in 1838. He was a cousin of the United Irishman leader, Henry Joy McCracken.

Family

He was born in Belfast, son of Henry Joy and grandson of Francis Joy;^[2] his mother was a Dunbar from Dungannon. The Joy family, of Huguenot origin, were among Belfast's leading industrialists and founded the Belfast News Letter. His aunt Ann was the mother of Henry Joy McCracken. The future judge did not share his cousin's passion for politics; although he opposed the Act of Union 1800, he was considered an unusually non-political barrister.

Career

He was educated at the University of Dublin, entered Middle Temple in 1783 and was called to the Bar in 1788. He went on the north-east circuit and specialised in equity. He was an acknowledged expert in the field but his career progressed slowly, due perhaps to his lack of interest in politics. He took silk in 1808, and became Third Sergeant in 1814, Second Sergeant in 1816 and First Sergeant in 1817.^[3]

According to Elrington Ball, his promotion from Attorney-General to Chief Baron was a purely political move. Although Joy was qualified for the position on merit, the appointment was intended to please Daniel O'Connell. O'Connell, however, had quarreled with Joy, as he had with several members of the judiciary, and so far from being pleased, unsuccessfully sought his removal.^[4] Joy died in 1838 at his residence Woodtown and was buried in Monkstown. He never married.

Character

A popular verse, punning on his surname, suggests a rather dour character: "tho' he smiles, 'tis less with mirth than pleasure". He was noted for his dedication to the law and lack of interest in politics, but did not lack other interests. He was deeply interested in ornithology and arboriculture, and kept a small private museum. He was, for the time, a noted traveller, going as far as Constantinople..^[5]

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