Katherine O'Shea
Encyclopedia
Katharine O'Shea, also known as Katie O'Shea, Kitty O'Shea or, following her second marriage, Katharine Parnell (30 January 1846–5 February 1921) was an English
woman of aristocratic background, whose family relationship over many years with Charles Stewart Parnell
eventually caused his political downfall.
,on 30 January 1846, the daughter of Sir John Page Wood
, 2nd Baronet (1796–1866), and grand-daughter of Sir Matthew Wood
, a former Lord Mayor of London
. She had an elder brother who became Field Marshal
Sir Evelyn Wood and was also the niece of both Western Wood
MP (1804–1863) and Lord Hatherley
, Gladstone
's first Liberal
Lord Chancellor
.
, a Catholic Nationalist MP for Galway borough
. Out of her family connection to the Liberal Party, she acted as liaison between Parnell and Gladstone during negotiations prior to the introduction of the First Irish Home Rule Bill in April 1886. Parnell moved to her home in Eltham, close to the London-Kent border, that summer. Three of Katharine's children were fathered by Parnell; the first died early in 1882. The others were Claire (1883–1909) and Katharine (1884–1947).
Captain O'Shea knew about the affair, challenged Parnell to a duel in 1881 and initially forbade Katharine to see him, although she claimed that he encouraged her in the relationship. However, he kept publicly quiet for several years. His reasons for filing for divorce in 1889 are a matter for speculation. He may have had political motives. Alternatively, it was claimed that he had been hoping for an inheritance from Katharine's rich aunt whom he had expected to die earlier, but when she died in 1889 her money was left in trust to cousins.
Although their relationship was a subject of gossip in London political circles from 1881, later public knowledge of the affair in an England governed by "Victorian morality
" with a "nonconformist conscience" created a huge scandal, as adultery
was prohibited by the Ten Commandments. At that time, politicians were supposed to lead by example. This led to Parnell's being deserted by a majority of his own Irish Parliamentary Party
and to his downfall as its leader in December 1890 following Katharine's November divorce proceedings from Captain O'Shea, in which Parnell was named as co-respondent. Catholic Ireland only felt a profound sense of shock when Katharine broke the vows of her previous Catholic marriage by marrying Parnell on 25 June 1891. With Parnell's political life and his health essentially ruined, he died at the age of 45 in Hove
on 6 October 1891 in her arms, less than four months after their marriage. The cause was most likely coronary heart disease inherited from his grandfather and father, who also died prematurely.
Katharine published a biography of Parnell in 1914 as "Katharine O'Shea (Mrs Charles Stewart Parnell)", so we may assume that this is the name by which she preferred to be known, though to her friends she was known as Katie O'Shea. Parnell's enemies, in order to damage him personally, called her "Kitty O'Shea" because at that time "kitty", as well as being an Hiberno-English
version of Catherine/Katherine/Katharine, was also a slang
term for a prostitute. She lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity, and is buried in Littlehampton
, Sussex
, England
.
Henry Harrison, who had acted as Parnell's bodyguard and aide-de-camp, devoted himself after Parnell's death to the service of his widow Katharine. From her he heard a completely different version of the events surrounding the divorce issue from that which had appeared in the press, and this was to form the seed of his later two books defending Parnell published in 1931 and 1938. They had a major impact on Irish historiography, leading to a more favourable view of Parnell’s role in the O’Shea affair.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
woman of aristocratic background, whose family relationship over many years with Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell
Charles Stewart Parnell was an Irish landowner, nationalist political leader, land reform agitator, and the founder and leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party...
eventually caused his political downfall.
Background
She was born Katharine Wood in Braintree, EssexBraintree, Essex
Braintree is a town of about 42,000 people and the principal settlement of the Braintree district of Essex in the East of England. It is northeast of Chelmsford and west of Colchester on the River Blackwater, A120 road and a branch of the Great Eastern Main Line.Braintree has grown contiguous...
,on 30 January 1846, the daughter of Sir John Page Wood
Page Wood Baronets
The Wood, later Page Wood Baronetcy, of Hatherley House in the County of Gloucester, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 16 December 1837 for Matthew Wood, Lord Mayor of London from 1815 to 1817 and Whig Member of Parliament for the City of London from 1817 to...
, 2nd Baronet (1796–1866), and grand-daughter of Sir Matthew Wood
Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet
Sir Matthew Wood, 1st Baronet was a British Whig politician.-Life:Matthew Wood was the son of William Wood, a serge maker from Exeter and Tiverton, and his wife Catherine Cluse . He was educated briefly at Blundell's School, before being obliged to help his ailing father...
, a former Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
. She had an elder brother who became Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Sir Evelyn Wood and was also the niece of both Western Wood
Western Wood (MP)
Western Wood was a British businessman and a Liberal Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1861 to 1863.- Family :...
MP (1804–1863) and Lord Hatherley
William Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley
William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley PC, QC was a British lawyer and statesman who served as a Liberal Lord Chancellor between 1868 and 1872 in William Ewart Gladstone's first ministry.-Background and education:...
, Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
's first Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
.
Relationship with Parnell
Katharine first met Parnell in 1880, when she was married to but already separated from Captain William O'SheaWilliam O'Shea
Captain William Henry O'Shea was an Irish soldier and Member of Parliament.Born in Dublin, O'Shea was a captain in the 18th Hussars of the British Army....
, a Catholic Nationalist MP for Galway borough
Galway Borough (UK Parliament constituency)
Galway Borough was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland. It returned one MP 1801–1832, two MPs 1832–1885 and one thereafter. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:This...
. Out of her family connection to the Liberal Party, she acted as liaison between Parnell and Gladstone during negotiations prior to the introduction of the First Irish Home Rule Bill in April 1886. Parnell moved to her home in Eltham, close to the London-Kent border, that summer. Three of Katharine's children were fathered by Parnell; the first died early in 1882. The others were Claire (1883–1909) and Katharine (1884–1947).
Captain O'Shea knew about the affair, challenged Parnell to a duel in 1881 and initially forbade Katharine to see him, although she claimed that he encouraged her in the relationship. However, he kept publicly quiet for several years. His reasons for filing for divorce in 1889 are a matter for speculation. He may have had political motives. Alternatively, it was claimed that he had been hoping for an inheritance from Katharine's rich aunt whom he had expected to die earlier, but when she died in 1889 her money was left in trust to cousins.
Although their relationship was a subject of gossip in London political circles from 1881, later public knowledge of the affair in an England governed by "Victorian morality
Victorian morality
Victorian morality is a distillation of the moral views of people living at the time of Queen Victoria's reign and of the moral climate of the United Kingdom throughout the 19th century in general, which contrasted greatly with the morality of the previous Georgian period...
" with a "nonconformist conscience" created a huge scandal, as adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
was prohibited by the Ten Commandments. At that time, politicians were supposed to lead by example. This led to Parnell's being deserted by a majority of his own Irish Parliamentary Party
Irish Parliamentary Party
The Irish Parliamentary Party was formed in 1882 by Charles Stewart Parnell, the leader of the Nationalist Party, replacing the Home Rule League, as official parliamentary party for Irish nationalist Members of Parliament elected to the House of Commons at...
and to his downfall as its leader in December 1890 following Katharine's November divorce proceedings from Captain O'Shea, in which Parnell was named as co-respondent. Catholic Ireland only felt a profound sense of shock when Katharine broke the vows of her previous Catholic marriage by marrying Parnell on 25 June 1891. With Parnell's political life and his health essentially ruined, he died at the age of 45 in Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
on 6 October 1891 in her arms, less than four months after their marriage. The cause was most likely coronary heart disease inherited from his grandfather and father, who also died prematurely.
Katharine published a biography of Parnell in 1914 as "Katharine O'Shea (Mrs Charles Stewart Parnell)", so we may assume that this is the name by which she preferred to be known, though to her friends she was known as Katie O'Shea. Parnell's enemies, in order to damage him personally, called her "Kitty O'Shea" because at that time "kitty", as well as being an Hiberno-English
Hiberno-English
Hiberno-English is the dialect of English written and spoken in Ireland .English was first brought to Ireland during the Norman invasion of the late 12th century. Initially it was mainly spoken in an area known as the Pale around Dublin, with Irish spoken throughout the rest of the country...
version of Catherine/Katherine/Katharine, was also a slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
term for a prostitute. She lived the rest of her life in relative obscurity, and is buried in Littlehampton
Littlehampton
Littlehampton is a seaside resort town and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, on the east bank at the mouth of the River Arun. It lies south southwest of London, west of Brighton and east of the county town of Chichester....
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Henry Harrison, who had acted as Parnell's bodyguard and aide-de-camp, devoted himself after Parnell's death to the service of his widow Katharine. From her he heard a completely different version of the events surrounding the divorce issue from that which had appeared in the press, and this was to form the seed of his later two books defending Parnell published in 1931 and 1938. They had a major impact on Irish historiography, leading to a more favourable view of Parnell’s role in the O’Shea affair.