Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Carleton, Hugh

1367521Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 09 — Carleton, Hugh1887Thomas Finlayson Henderson

CARLETON, HUGH, Viscount Carleton (1739–1826), lord chief justice of Ireland, eldest son of Francis Carleton of Cork, by Rebecca, daughter of John Lanton, was born 11 Sept. 1739. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and being called to the Irish bar became solicitor-general in 1779, and lord chief justice of the common pleas in 1787. In 1789 he was created Baron Carleton of Amer, and in 1797 Viscount Carleton of Clare, Tipperary. He became lord chief justice in 1800, and the same year was chosen one of the twenty-eight representative peers of Ireland. In 1803, having incensed the mob by the trial and condemnation of the two councillors Sheers, to whom he had been left guardian by their father, he only escaped their summary vengeance by Lord Kilwarden being killed in mistake for him. Curran, referring to the lugubrious manner of Carleton on the bench, said that he was plaintiff (plaintive) in every case before him. He died in 1826. He married in 1766 Elizabeth, only daughter of Richard Mercer, and in 1795 Mary Buckley, second daughter of Andrew Matthew; but by neither marriage had he any issue.

[Georgian Era, ii. 540; Gent. Mag. 1826, i. 270.]

T. F. H.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.55
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

Page Col. Line  
ii 13-14 Carleton, Hugh, Viscount Carleton: for lord chief justice in Ireland read chief justice of common pleas in Ireland
18 after became insert third serjeant 1776, second serjeant 1777
19 omit lord
20 after 1787 insert He was M.P. for Tuam 1772-6, Philipstown 1776-83, and Naas 1783-7
22-23 for became lord chief justice read retired from the bench
25-30 omit In 1803 . . . . in mistake for him
34 for in 1826 read on 25 Feb. 1826