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Sir Denis Henry | |
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| 1st Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland | |
| In office 1922–1925 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | new office |
| Succeeded by | Sir William Moore, Bt |
| Attorney-General for Ireland | |
| In office 1919–1921 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | Arthur Warren Samuels |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Watters Brown |
| Solicitor-General for Ireland | |
| In office 1918–1919 | |
| Monarch | George V |
| Preceded by | John Blake Powell |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Martin Wilson |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 1916–1921 | |
| Preceded by | John Gordon |
| Succeeded by | Robert Chichester |
| Constituency | South Londonderry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1864-03-07)7 March 1864 |
| Died | 1 October 1925(1925-10-01) (aged 61) |
| Citizenship | British citizenship |
| Party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Spouse | Violet Holmes |
| Children | James |
| Alma mater | Queen's College, Belfast |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sir Denis Stanislaus Henry, 1st Baronet (7 March 1864 – 1 October 1925), was an Irish lawyer and politician who became the firstLord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.
Henry was born in Cahore,Draperstown,County Londonderry, the son of James Henry, a farmer, a landlord, and a prosperousCatholic businessman.[1] He was educated at Marist College,Dundalk,Mount St Mary's College,Spinkhill,North East Derbyshire (aJesuit foundation) andQueen's College,Belfast, where he won every law scholarship available to a student in addition to many other prizes and exhibitions. In 1885, he was called to theBar of Ireland.
During thegeneral election campaign of 1895, Henry spoke in support ofunionist candidates in two constituencies:Thomas Lea inSouth Londonderry, Henry's native constituency, and E. T. Herdman inEast Donegal.
Henry's legal career flourished: he became aqueen's counsel in 1896 (which became aking's counsel on 21 January 1901 when Queen Victoria died), aBencher of theKing's Inns in 1898 and ultimately father of the north-west circuit of assizes. In March 1905, he was a delegate at the inaugural meeting of theUlster Unionist Council and in theNorth Tyrone by-election in 1907 he was the unionist candidate, losing by a mere seven votes.
On 23 May 1916, he became an MP in theSouth Londonderry by-election, the first to be held in Ireland after theEaster Rising.
In November 1918, Henry becameSolicitor-General for Ireland and, in July 1919,Attorney General for Ireland. Speaking in theHouse of Commons on 22 June 1920 Henry commented on how British troops in Ireland were instructed to behave as if on a battlefield.[2] He later served as the firstLord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1925. In 1923, he became aBaronet, of Cahore in the County of Londonderry.
He married Violet Holmes, daughter ofHugh Holmes, a judge of theCourt of Appeal in Ireland, and Olivia Moule ofElmley Lovett,Worcestershire. They had five children, including James Holmes Henry, who succeeded as second baronet. It was a mixed marriage as Violet was a staunch member of theChurch of Ireland. Despite their religious difference, the marriage is said to have been happy.
Henry died in 1925, aged 61, and was buried near his native Draperstown.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forSouth Londonderry 1916–1921 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Solicitor-General for Ireland 1918–1919 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Attorney-General for Ireland 1919–1921 | Succeeded by |
| New office | Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland 1922–1925 | Succeeded by |
| Baronetage of the United Kingdom | ||
| New creation | Baronet (of Cahore) 1923–1925 | Succeeded by James Holmes Henry |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
