Robert Torrens O'Neill
Encyclopedia
Hon. Robert Torrens O'Neill (10 January 1845 – 25 July 1910), was an Irish Conservative
, and later Irish Unionist
politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1910.
O'Neill was the third son of William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill
, and his first wife, Henrietta Torrens, daughter of Hon. Robert Torrens, a Judge of the Common Pleas
in Ireland. O'Neill was educated at Harrow School
and at Brasenose College, Oxford
and served as a Major in the 4th Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers. He was also a Justice of the Peace
for County Antrim
, and Deputy Lieutenant
for County Londonderry
, and was High Sheriff of County Londonderry
in 1871.
O'Neill stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Antrim
in 1885 and was elected as Member of Parliament
for Antrim Mid later in the year in the 1885 general election
. He held this seat until his death in 1910, and was succeeded as MP by his nephew Arthur O'Neill
.
O'Neill never married and died at the age of 65.
Irish Conservative Party
The Irish Conservative Party, often called the Irish Tories, was one of the dominant Irish political parties in Ireland in the 19th century...
, and later Irish Unionist
Irish Unionist Party
The Irish Unionist Alliance was a Unionist party founded in Ireland in 1891 to oppose plans for Gladstonian and Parnellite Home Rule for Ireland. The party was led for much of its life by Colonel Edward James Saunderson and later by the William St John Brodrick, Earl of Midleton...
politician who sat in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1885 to 1910.
O'Neill was the third son of William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill
William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill
Reverend William O'Neill, 1st Baron O'Neill , born William Chichester, he changed his surname to O'Neill in 1855; O'Neill was an Anglo-Irish hereditary peer, clergyman and musical composer.-Background and education:...
, and his first wife, Henrietta Torrens, daughter of Hon. Robert Torrens, a Judge of the Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
in Ireland. O'Neill was educated at Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and at Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
and served as a Major in the 4th Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers. He was also a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, and Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
for County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
, and was High Sheriff of County Londonderry
High Sheriff of County Londonderry
The High Sheriff of County Londonderry, is the Sovereign's judicial representative in County Londonderry. Initially an office for lifetime, assigned by the Sovereign, the High Sheriff became annually appointed from the Provisions of Oxford in 1258. Besides his judicial importance, he has ceremonial...
in 1871.
O'Neill stood for parliament unsuccessfully at Antrim
Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
Antrim is former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:...
in 1885 and was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Antrim Mid later in the year in the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
. He held this seat until his death in 1910, and was succeeded as MP by his nephew Arthur O'Neill
Arthur O'Neill
Arthur Edward Bruce O'Neill , was an Irish Ulster Unionist Party politician who was the first MP to be killed in World War I...
.
O'Neill never married and died at the age of 65.