North Street, Newry, County Down

North Street, Newry, County Down
North Street, Newry, County Down

Tuesday 3 April 2018

Nicholas Biddulph [1803-1888]


Nicholas Biddulph of Congor, County Tipperary, was born in 1803, the eldest of
 the three sons of Francis Biddulph and Mary Steele. He had two sisters, Anne, who married Hugh Boyd Wray, and Elizabeth, who never married. His brothers Richard and Francis Biddulph both emigrated to Canada and settled there.
He succeeded to Fortal, King’s County, after a prolonged legal dispute which ended in 1824.
He was admitted to Trinity College, Dublin in 1825 at the age of 20, and matriculated in 1827.[1] He was then admitted to Peterhouse College, Cambridge from Trinity College, Dublin.
In 1833 he married Catherine Lucas of Woodlodge, County Cavan, daughter of the Rev. Edward Lucas [1766-1815], also known as Edward Clements, and Elizabeth Clements,  of Rathkenny, County Cavan.
At Muff Church, County Derry, on the 31st August, by the Rev. James L.M. Scott, Nicholas Biddulph, Esq., of Kingsborough, King's County, to Catherine, daughter of the late Rev. Edward Lucas, County Cavan.[2]
They had one son Francis Edward Biddulph.
Catherine died in 1834.
Deaths. On Thursday last, in Portarlington, after giving birth to a son and heir on the preceding Sunday, Catherine, wife of Nicholas Biddulph, Esq., the melancholy and premature death of this lady is sincerely regretted by a large and respectable circle of acquaintances  to who a mild and ..... (cutting incomplete).
Nicholas married a second time, in St. Peter’s Church, Dublin, in 1839. His second wife was Isabella Digges La Touche, the daughter of James Digges La Touche [1788-1827] of Sans Souci, County Dublin.
At St. Peter's Church, Dublin, Nicholas Biddulph, Esq., of Conger House, County Tipperary, to Isabella, eldest daughter of the late James Digges Latouche, Esq., of Sans Souci, county of Dublin.
Nicholas and Isabella had nine children, James, Robert, William, Richard, Isabella, Mary, Anne, Grace and Ellen.  They were unsettled times and the following incident took place at Congor in 1841. Their first child, Isabella, was a year old.
About 7 o'clock on Wednesday evening three armed men came to the gate house of Congor, the residence of Nicholas Biddulph, Esq., two of whom entered and the other remained outside. On their entrance they demanded firearms from Thompson, Mr. Biddulph's steward, threatening to shoot him if he did not comply. While reaching the house the light went out and Mrs. Thompson escaped through a back door and ran to Congor House for assistance. Mr. Biddulph and his servant immediately proceeded to the gate-house, but the fellows were gone. One fellow pursued (Mrs. Thompson when escaping, but was unsuccessful and called out No. 3 stating that Thompson should suffer for letting his wife escape with the arms; which, however, was not the case as there were not any in the house at the time.[3]

Nicholas Biddulph died on the 5th April 1888. Isabella survived him by a few months. She died on the 19th September 1888.
They are buried in Congor graveyard close to where Ardcroney Church once stood. The Church has since been removed to Bunratty Folk Park. The gravestone bears the following inscription.
Biddulph
Erected by their children in memory of Nicholas Biddulph, J.P., of Congor House, died 5th April 1888, aged 84 years.
Isabella his wife died 19th September 1888 aged 78 years.
Also Arthur Stuart Biddulph who died 1st January 1914 aged 10 years.
In memory of Mary Biddulph who died 1st January 1914. Also her sister Annie who died 21st September 1901. Birr View, Birr.
'I am the resurrection and the Life.'





[1] Alumni Cantabrigienses: Vol. 2, by John Venn
[2] The Belfast Newsletter, 1833, Sept 06
[3] Nenagh Guardian 1841

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