Thomas Rochfort

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Thomas Rochfort (c.1450-1522) was a distinguished Irish judge and cleric who held the offices of Solicitor General for Ireland, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, and Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

He was born at Killadoon, near Celbridge, County Kildare, second son of Roger Rochfort, Lord of the Manor of Killadoon, and Catherine Read.[1] The Rochfort family had come to Ireland around 1240; Roger was descended from Sir Milo de Rochfort,who held lands in Kildare in 1309. Roger's elder brother Robert was the ancestor of another distinguished judge Robert Rochfort, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer under Queen Anne, whose descendants gained the title Earl of Belvedere.[2]

Little is known of Thomas before 1502, when he became Precentor of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and Dean in 1505.[3] Most unusually for a cleric he became Serjeant-at-law (Ireland) and Solicitor General in 1511; subsequently he became clerk of the Court of Chancery, and then Master of the Rolls. As often in this period the exact dates he held office are uncertain, but he was certainly Master in 1520, and was superseded the following year. He remained Dean until his death in June 1522.[4]

Hart[5] describes his career as unique in his lifetime, as he was the only cleric of his generation who held any judicial office other than Lord Chancellor.

References

  1. ↑ Lodge, John and Archdall, Mervyn The Peerage of Ireland Volume 3 Dublin 1789
  2. ↑ Lodge and Archdall Peerage of Ireland
  3. ↑ Ball F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926
  4. ↑ Hart A.C A History of the Kings Serjeants-at-law in Ireland Four Courts Press Dublin 2000
  5. ↑ A History of the King's Serjeants-at-law in Ireland
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