James Spaight (MP)

Sir James Spaight (1818 – 21 January 1892)[1][2][3] was an Irish Conservative politician.

James Spaight MP
Member of Parliament for Limerick City
In office 21 May 1858 – 5 May 1859 Serving with Francis William Russell
Preceded by	George Gavin Francis William Russell
Succeeded by	George Gavin Francis William Russell
Personal details
Born	1818
Died	21 January 1892 (aged 73–74)
Nationality	Irish
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Alason Eckford ​ ​ (m. 1850)​
Parents	Francis Spaight Agnes Patterson

Family

Spaight was the second son of Francis Spaight — the owner of the ill-fated Francis Spaight ship - and Agnes Paterson, daughter of James Campbell Paterson.[2] He married Elizabeth Alason Eckford, daughter of John Eckford, in 1850.[3]

He was the President of the Limerick Chamber from 1871–92, his father Francis was President from 1847–61.[4] He was the vice-president of the Limerick Protestant Young Mens Association.[5]

Political career

He was a subscriber and council member and then, in 1869, president of the Athenaeum. In 1853, he was High Sheriff of Limerick City and later, in 1856, 1877 and 1883, he was Mayor of Limerick.[2] From 1871 to his death, he was president of the Limerick Chamber of Commerce.[6] At some point, he was also a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant for County Tipperary.[3]

Spaight was elected unopposed as MP for Limerick City at a by-election in May 1858 but lost the seat at the next general election in 1859. He attempted to regain the seat on multiple occasions — in 1865, 1874, 1879, 1880, 1883 and 1885 — but was each time unsuccessful.[7]

Spaight was knighted in 1887.[1][2]

References

1. Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 3)
2. "Emigrants as ballast!" (PDF). Limerick City and County Council. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
3. Burke, Bernard; Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1912). A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland. London: Harrison. p. 654.
4. Potter, Matthew (2015). Limerick's Merchants, Traders and Shakers. Limerick: Limerick Chamber. ISBN 9780953835416.
5. "Funeral of Sir James Spaight" (PDF). Limerick Chronicle. 23 January 1892.
6. "Past Presidents". Limerick Chamber. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
7. Walker, B.M., ed. (1978). Parliamentary Election Results in Ireland, 1801-1922. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy. ISBN 0901714127.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Mr James Spaight