John Blaquiere, 1st Baron de Blaquiere

John Blaquiere, 1st Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill (1732-1812) was born on 15 May 1732 the son of Jean de Blaquiere and Marie Elizabeth de Varennes.

He married Eleanor Dobson, daughter of Robert Dobson and Maria Tomkins, on 30 November 1775 at Mary Street, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland.

• He gained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the service of the 17th Dragoons.
• He was Secretary of Legation between 1771 and 1772 at Paris, France.
• He was Chief Secretary to the Viceroy of Ireland, Earl Harcourt between 1772 and 1777.
• He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Ireland] on 30 November 1772.
• He was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Law (LL.D.) by Dublin University, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland, in 1773.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Old Leighlin [Ireland] between 1773 and 1783.
• He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Bath (K.B.) on 3 August 1774.
• He held the office of Alnager and Collector of the Subsidies of Alnage [Ireland] between 16 August 1775 and 1797.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Carlingford [Ireland] between 1783 and 1790.
• He was created 1st Baronet Blaquiere [Ireland] on 16 July 1784.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Charleville [Ireland] between 1790 and 1797.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Newtonards [Ireland] between 1798 and 1800.
• He was created 1st Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill, co. Londonderry [Ireland] on 30 July 1800, for his support of the union of Ireland.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Tory) for Rye between 1801 and 1802.
• He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.) (Tory) for Downton between 1803 and 1806.
• He was invested as a Fellow, Society of Antiquaries (F.S.A.) on 13 January 1803.
• He was invested as a Fellow, Royal Society (F.R.S.) on 13 January 1803.
• He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.

He died on 27 August 1812 at age 80 at Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland.5

Children of John Blaquiere, 1st Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill and Eleanor Dobson

• Hon. Anna Maria de Blaquiere d. 31 Jan 1843
• Hon. Eleanor de Blaquiere d. 23 Jul 1867
• John de Blaquiere, 2nd Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill8 b. 5 Nov 1776, d. 7 Apr 1844
• General William de Blaquiere, 3rd Baron de Blaquiere of Ardkill b. 27 Jan 1778, d. 12 Nov 1851
• Hon. George Blaquiere b. 17 Jul 1782, d. 1826
• Hon. Peter Boyle de Blaquiere b. 26 Apr 1783, d. 23 Oct 1860
• Hon. Catherine Elizabeth de Blaquiere b. 1786, d. 11 Jan 1870

18 July 1773 Ireland, v. 446, No. 50. 235.Letter to Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (Harcourt) to Lord [Rochford].

When I expressed my wishes that Mr. Blaquiere might receive some mark of H.M.'s favour, I considered it as the likelies means of enabling him to carry on the business of his station with that credit and success so essentially necessary to the well-being of this Government. This was my view, exclusive of my regard and friendship for Blaquiere. The people on this side the water even those who support Government, are extremely attentive to every minute circumstance that concerns a Lord Lieutenant or his secretary, and are very apt to pay them a greater or lesser degre of regard and respect in proportion to the credit and support they are supposed to have from home. Hence my wish to se Mr. Blaquiere honoured with a red riband.

George III: July 1773', in Calendar of Home Office Papers (George III): 1773-5, ed. Richard Arthur Roberts (London, 1899), pp. 62-71. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/home-office-geo3/1773-5/pp62-71 [accessed 1 April 2020].

Links:

• The Peerage
• Wiki Pedia
• List of Knights Companion of Order of he Bath
• Image
• Crarofts Peerage
• History Of Parliament Online
• Lord Belmont In Northern Ireland, (includes Crest Image)