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The career and correspondence of Thomas Allan, c. 1725-1798
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2016
Extract
From 1700 to 1767 it was customary for the lord lieutenant of Ireland to reside in the country only during the period when the Irish parliament was actually in session. Before the amendment of Poynings’ law in 1782 the parliamentary session had lasted approximately six to eight months in every second year. On its prorogation the viceroy had returned to Great Britain for the intervening eighteen months, placing the government of Ireland in the hands of three prominent Irish politicians known as the lords justices. For some years before 1767 the British government had been considering the appointment of a permanently resident lord lieutenant in order to instil stability into the Irish political administration and to remove the necessity for the appointment of Irish politicians as lords justices.
In 1767 the Pitt-Grafton administration appointed George, Viscount Townshend, lord lieutenant of Ireland. On his arrival the new viceroy found that the government of the kingdom was in the hands of the great borough proprietors, many of whom were connected with the influential whig families in Great Britain. These Irish politicians were accustomed to carry through, or undertake, the king’s business in parliament in return for a generous share of administrative patronage, which they used to increase their political power and family prestige. This patronage was mainly connected with the control of the revenue board of which John Ponsonby, speaker of the Irish house of commons, brother of the earl of Bessborough and closely connected with the duke of Devonshire, was the first commissioner.
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References
1 Lecky, , Ire., ii. 54-8Google Scholar. Apart from the fact that they were Irish, I have been unable to discover any public virtue that the ‘undertakers’ possessed to the exclusion of their successors.
2 See Autobiography and political correspondence of Augustus Henry. 3rd duke of Grafton, ed. W. R. Anson, esp. pp. 127, 138, and, regarding Ireland, pp. 153, 157 ff.
3 Cal. H.O. papers, 1766-9, no. 665; also Lecky, , Ire., ii. 92 n.2Google Scholar.
4 Lecky, , Ire., i. 463-6Google Scholar, and McCracken, J.L., ‘The conflict between the Irish administration and parliament 1753-6’, in I.H.S., iii. 159-79Google Scholar.
5 The augmentation project was rejected ostensibly on grounds of expense; nevertheless, parliament was not averse to making large grants for works of ‘public utility’. However, these grants, which incidently provided many lucrative employments, were administered by the M.P.s themselves.
6 See H.M.C. rep. 12, app. x. pp. 26-7.
7 The principal modification was the king’s personal promise to keep 12,000 men in Ireland except in times of extreme emergency.
8 See P.R.O., S.P. 63/452, ff. 300-6.
9 Regarding the negotiations which preceded Lord Shannon’s alliance with the government in 1772, see Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, nos 1125, 1218, 1226, 1569; and ibid., 1773-5, no. 6. The actual terms are given in Harcourt MS 93, Gilbert Collection, Pearse Street Library, Dublin; part of this MS is privately printed in the Harcourt papers, ed. W.E. Harcourt (1888-1905; 50 copies only), ix, x. I would like to thank Miss M. P. Joyce (Mrs Keegan) for allowing me to read her unpublished edition of ‘The official correspondence of Simon, Earl Harcourt, lordlieutenant of Ireland, 1772-7’.
10 Cal. H.O. papers, 1773-5, no. 1010. During this period the office was held by Sir Robert Wilmot, his son, and then by John Jenkinson and Robert Weston jointly. For Allan’s interest in it see H.M., C., var. coll., vi. 192 Google Scholar.
11 See Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, no. 49; also P.R.O., S.P. 63/454, f. 205.
12 See Gentleman’s Magazine, 1798, i, where the obituary notice gives his age as 63, while the burial registers of Richmond Parish Church give 73; see also H.M.C. var. coll., vi. 192.
13 ‘Notes on the Irish parliament in 1773’, ed. Bodkin, M., in R.I.A. Proc., 48 C 4 (Aug. 1942), p. 186 Google Scholar.
14 H.M.C. rep. 13, app. viii. 400.
15 See Gilbert, J.T., A history of the city of Dublin, ii. 56 Google Scholar.
16 Under this agreement, Touchet was to pay Allan £870 and to assume all further expenses incurred in recovering the fees of his office. Once the fees were recovered Allan was to receive one payment of them only; in addition Allan agreed to change his patent to include in itone of Touchet’s sons. Regarding Touchet, see Namier, L.B., Structure of politics at the accession of George III, i, ii. 70, 211, 421Google Scholar.
17 See The Irish parliament in 1775, ed. W. Hunt, p. 2.
18 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 7 Nov. 1770.
19 Ibid., 9 June 1770.
20 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 9 Dec. 1767.
21 The current price for a seat in the 1768—76 parliament was approximately £2,000 to £2,500.
22 The bulk of this correspondence is in P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, and in P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3.
23 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Macartney, 11 Dec. 1769.
24 Obtaining political news was a very real problem; see B.M., Add. MS 34417 ff. 94-7. ‘I can scarce remember any period for many years past when I have been so totally without information’ wrote Buckinghamshire (lord lieutenant, 1777-80) to Eden in 1780.
25 P.R.O., S.P. 63/430, 22 Nov. 1769; also Cal. H.O. papers, 1766-9, no. 1348.
26 The hereditary revenue was a perpetual grant to the crown of certain revenues for specific purposes; as such, it was outside the control of parliament. However, the expenses of government, which included the large pension list, made additional grants from parliament essential ifthe revenue and the expenses of government were to balance each other. Often even these were insufficient and the national debt steadily increased during this period.
27 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/1, 15 Feb. 1769; 26 Feb. 1769; 24 Apr. 1769. Townshend dismissed one of his aides de camp, Capt. Tottenham, for voting against the augmentation of the army in 1768; Ponsonby had then ensured his appointment to the revenue employment of collector of Drogheda.
28 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Macartney, 18 Dec. 1769.
29 Lecky, , Ire., ii. 58-9Google Scholar, gives a very favourable argument for these grants.
30 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, Touchet to Macartney, 11 Apr. 1769. The East India company’s stock ledgers in the Bank of England record office show that at this time Allan held £2,000 East Indian stock. £500 was the voting qualification.
31 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, 3 Mar. 1770. Illegal influence could be wielded by ‘splitting’ large holdings into a number of single voting qualifications, as in this case. Fatio was a Jewish financier and stock broker; see L. S. Sutherland, The East India Company in eighteenth century politics, pp. 138-76, and for the events of 1769 see pp. 187-90.
32 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Macartney, 11 Dec. 1769. Laurence Sullivan was an Irishman who by his inherent ability became one of the most powerful figures in mid-eighteenth century East India politics. He supported Warren Hastings, see Sutherland, op. cit., p. 59 ff.,and for the complicated company politics to which Allan refers see pp. 178-212. Both Sullivan and Hastings were known personally to Allan, see R.M., Add. MS 29165, ff. 39, 171.
33 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, Allan to Macartney, 19 Feb. 1770.
34 Ibid., 3 May 1770.
35 Ibid., 17 Feb. 1770.
36 Ibid., 3 May 1770.
37 Ibid., 22 Jan. 1771; Lord Suffolk became keeper of the privy seal (Jan. 1771) and the following June secretary for the northern department. In both of these offices he succeeded Lord Halifax. Alexander Wedderburn, M.P. for Bishops Castle, became solicitor general in 1771, and, in the same year, Thomas Whately, M.P. for Castle Rising, accepted the office of commissioner for trade and plantations.
38 The need to inspire confidence in the stability and power of the castle was very real, especially in this respect, as the departure of previous viceroys had usually left their friends defenceless against the entrenched power of the ‘undertakers’.
39 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 28 May 1770.
40 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 7 Dec. 1770. Under this plan 2 commissioners (Englishmen) were pensioned; new appointments included 5 commissioners (£5,000), 4 surveyors general (£2,000), secretary (£500), solicitor (£400), counsel (£400), board of accounts officials (£800), total cost £10,000 and calculated increase in the revenue as a result £150,000 p.a. within 3 years.
41 P.R.O., T 14/15 ff. 233-4. In April 1772 Allan received £350 for expenses incurred in attending the treasury on matters relative to Ireland; see ibid., f. 141.
42 B.M., Add. MS 37833, f. 67.
43 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, Allan to Macartney, 19 Feb. 1770.
44 Ibid., 29 Apr. 1771: ‘Your bills have been shamefully detained by the attorney and solicitor general here, every business is procrastinated in the same manner’. Lord North was by no means unique in this respect.
45 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 26 Dec. 1770. The queries related to the attitude the government was to adopt in the Irish parliament should certain issues arise when it met in Feb. 1771.
46 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, 22 Apr. 1772. Sir Robert Wilmot was the lord lieutenant’s secretary in England; Kelly was one of the official messengers.
47 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 24 Dec. 1771.
48 Ibid., 9 Feb. 1771, Lord Rochford succeeded Lord Weymouth as secretary for the southern department in Dec. 1770.
49 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, Allan to Macartney, 22 Apr. 1771.
50 Ibid., 6 Feb. 1770.
51 See Cavendish, Debates . . ., i. This report excludes the speeches of Lord Barrington, Cavendish himself, and Richard Rigby. Allan’s much shorter account leaves out the last two speakers, George Grenville and Thomas Pitt. The house divided 66 for and 178 against the motion.
52 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, 5 May 1770. Constantine Phipps capt., R.N., was M.P. for Lincoln city and heir to Lord Mulgrave.
53 See Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, no. 406.
54 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, 7 Dec. 1770.. Dick Gorges, M.P. for Enniskillen and cousin of Lord Tyrone, voted against some government measures of major importance, such as the revenue bill. Frank Burton, M.P. for Clare co., independent supporter of government, received a pension of £500 and also one of £600 for his wife. Sir Thomas Maude, M.P. for Tipperary co., privy councillor, wanted a peerage. See Hunt, op. cit.; Bodkin, op. cit.; Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, nos 449, 942, 952, 1441.
55 P.R.O.I., MS 1A:41: 134, 19 Jan. 1771. Robert Pakenham, M.P. for co. Longford, brother to Lord Longford and generally in opposition; see also ibid., 24 Dec. 1771: ‘Mr Packenham certainly goes to join his regiment in America’.
56 See Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, no. 119. It is obvious from his letters that Allan did his utmost to assist the linen trade ‘which is the staff of life in Ireland’. In this respect Freeman’s Journal does him an injustice; see Dymoke’s guide to electors published in successive issues from 5 July to 8 Sept. 1774.
57 P.R.O.I., MS 1A:41: 134, 16 Apr. 1771. Rose Fuller, M.P. for Rye, West Indian planter and one time chief justice of Jamaica; the agent for Jamaica was Stephen Fuller, his brother; see Namier, op. cit., P.134.
58 P.R.O.I., MS 1A: 41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 3 Nov. 1770.
59 See Cal. H.O. papers, 1770-2, no. 613.
60 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, undated, probably Oct. 1770: ‘Copy of a memorial delivered to and a conference with Lord North, Mr Jenkinson and Mr Bradshaw’. Temporary relief was usually obtained through loans of various kinds. There was always a shortage of specie in Ireland due to the drain caused by absenteeism, commercial restrictions which gave an uneven balance to trade, paying regiments abroad, and the notorious pension list.
61 P.R.O.I., MS 1A:41: 134, Allan to Townshend, 3 Nov. 1770. Sawbridge was M.P. for Hythe and, like Wilkes, an alderman of the city of London.
62 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/3, Allan to Macartney, 13 Jan. 1770.
63 Ibid., Allan to Macartney, 13 Feb. 1770.
64 Ibid., 6 Mar. 1770.
65 Ibid., D.O.D. 572/4/71, 28 Sept. 1773. Waller had beena commissioner of the Irish excise. Like Allan he was dismissed with a pension of £600 in 1773.
66 Pearse Street Library, Dublin, Gilbert Collection, Harcourt MS 93, f. 413-4, 4 May 1776.
67 Ibid., f. 44.
68 Ibid., Harcourt to North, 24 Aug. 1776.
69 The bill was for ‘altering, amending and making more effectual the laws for the repairing of the road leading from the Green of Kilcullen in the county of Kildare to the town of Athy in the said county and from thence to the town of Timoho in the Queen’s county ’; see Commons’ jn. Ire., xvii (1775-6). 184-5, 312, 346.
70 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/4/57, 20 Nov. 1773. Allan’s grant of £350 ‘for journeys to attend the lords of the treasury etc....’ caused considerable comment in the Irish house of commons. Benjamin Chapman, M.P. for Fore, entered parliament in 1773, a lawyer; he was eventually created a baronet. John Scott, M.P. for Mullingar, a supporter and protégé of Lord Townshend, was an eminent lawyer, subsequently created successively Lord Earlsfort and earl of Clonmell.
71 Correspondence of King George III, ed. SirFortescue, John, ii, no. 1334 Google Scholar.
72 ‘Contemporary sketches of the members of the Irish parliament in 1782’, ed. Sayles, G.O. in R.I.A. Proc., 56 C 3 (Mar. 1954), p. 251 Google Scholar.
73 P.R.O., T. 14/15, f. 434, 8 Oct. 1776. Allan was granted an additional pension of £300 during pleasure on the establishment of Ireland, to be back-dated to 24 June 1776. This may have been either a reward for services rendered, or compensation for having to purchase his seat in the new parliament, or both.
74 See Sayles, op. cit., p. 251.
75 Ibid., and also P.R.O., S.P. 63/468, ff. 210-20.
76 Part of this correspondence is printed in the Beresford correspondence, ed. W. Beresford (1854), i. My warmest thanks are due to Mr A. R. Pack-Beresford, Millisle, co. Down, who gave me a copy of this rare and valuable work.
77 Eventually this group of ‘professional’ administrators had tried to secure a continuity in the government of Ireland by attaching themselves to the king’s government, rather than to the personal representative of any particular ministry, namely, the lord lieutenant of the day. This conflict of loyalties was a feature of the eighteenth century and is discussed in Namier, op. cit., p. 47.
78 B.M., Add. MS 34417, ff. 94-7, Buckinghamshire to Eden, See also P.R.O., S.P. 63/468, f. 122, Buckinghamshire to Hillsborough.
79 B.M., Add. MS 37835, f. 5, 2 Nov. 1779, King to John Robinson.
80 Beresford correspondence, i. 51.
81 Ibid., p. 97.
82 Ibid., i. 121, 27 Dec. 1779. At this time it was taking most of the energy of George III and John Robinson to keep Lord North not only to the point but at the head of the ministry; see B.M., Add. MS 37835, ff. 1-82.
83 P.R.O., T. 11/32, 33, 34. There are also records in H. M. Customs & Excise Library.
84 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D., 572/19/82, 23 Apr. 1782. Scott and Lees but not Beresford were ‘among the proscribed’.
85 In this, as in the preceding extracts from Allan’s correspondence, I have occasionally changed his more eccentric spelling and punctuation, but only in cases where I felt that it clarified their meaning without destroying their individuality. His capitalization has been standardized in accordance with the practice of this journal.
86 I would like to express my thanks to Dr W. R. Ward, who drew my attention to the terms of this arrangement which were £2,000 down and £400 a year for the remainder of his life; see B.M., Add. MS 38293,ff. 232-3.
87 P.R.O.N.I., D.O.D. 572/10, 2 Apr. 1785. Thomas Orde, later created Lord Bolton, was chief secretary to the duke of Rutland (1784-7); Foster, John, M.P. for Louth co., 1768-1821 (created Lord Oriel 1821)Google Scholar, was the last speaker of the Irish house of commons (1785-1800).
88 Allan’s will is in Somerset House. Probate was granted at Doctors’ Commons on 9 July 1798.