Thomas Tennison

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Thomas Tennison (1707-1779) was an Irish politician and judge: he was Prime Serjeant and a judge of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) and sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for Dunleer.[1]

He was from Dillonstown in County Louth, son of Henry Tennison, Member of Parliament for Louth and grandson of Richard Tennison, Bishop of Meath; his mother was Anne Moore of County Fermanagh. His father was a wealthy landowner who also had intellectual tastes, and was part of the little circle which revolved around Esther Johnson, the Stella of Jonathan Swift.[2]

He married the heiress Dorothy Upton, daughter of Thomas Upton, Member of Parliament for County Antrim, and cousin of the first Baron Templetown.[3]

He went to school in Dublin and matriculated from the University of Dublin in 1725. He entered Middle Temple in 1726 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1728. He acted as a Commissioner for Revenue appeals and became Prime Serjeant in 1759. Two years later he was appointed to the Common Pleas. He died in 1779.[4]

As a politician he was noted for a style of oratory which was "warm, if not always clear"; in private life he was noted as a connoisseur of wine.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926 Vol. 2 p.212
  2. ↑ Ball p.161
  3. ↑ Ball p.212
  4. ↑ Ball p.212
  5. ↑ Ball p.161
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