William Burton Conyngham | |
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 portrait byAnton Raphael Mengs (1754/1755) | |
| Member of theParliament of Ireland | |
| In office 1761–1796 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1733 |
| Died | 31 May 1796 |
| Parent |
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William Burton Conyngham (1733 – 31 May 1796) was an Anglo-Irish politician.
He was bornWilliam Burton, the second son ofFrancis Burton and Mary Conyngham, sister ofHenry Conyngham, 1st Earl Conyngham.[1] In 1781, his name was changed by Royal Licence to inherit the estates of his uncle.
He was a student atQueens' College, Cambridge from 1750 and in turn atLincoln's Inn from 1753, he then proceeded to follow a military career, being commissioned as aCaptain in 1759, and by 1769 he had advanced toLieutenant-Colonel in the12th Dragoons. He resigned his Regular Army commission in 1774,[2] but in April 1793 he was appointedColonel to raise and command the newPrince of Wales's Own Donegal Militia.[3]
Conyngham was a longtimeMember of Parliament. From 1761 to 1777 he representedNewtown Limavady,[1] from 1776 to 1777 as well as from 1783 to 1790Killybegs. Between 1776 and 1783 and again between 1790 and 1796, he sat in theIrish House of Commons forEnnis.[2]
Conyngham planned a settlement on the previously unpopulated island ofRutland, Ireland, having installed, from 1784, a street of residences and business premises, post office, school house and a fish landing and processing facility. The island remained inhabited into the 1960s. The village which developed around the mainland pier which served Rutland,Burtonport, still bears his name.[4]
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In 1785 Conyngham commenced the building ofSlane Castle, assisted by his nephew the1st Marquess Conyngham, on a site overlooking the River Boyne just a few kilometres upstream from the site of theBattle of the Boyne.
From 1793 Conyngham was one of theCommissioners of the Treasury for Ireland.
Conyngham is most famous today for having presented theTrinity College Harp toTrinity College Dublin; from 1922 the harp was used as the model for the insignia of theIrish Free State and theRepublic of Ireland. An image was also registered as aGuinness trade mark in 1876.[5]
| Parliament of Ireland | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forNewtown Limavady 1761–1777 With:Edmond Leslie-Corry 1761–1765 John Staples 1765–1768 Richard Jones 1768–1776 Alexander Murray 1776–1777 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forKillybegs 1776–1777 With:Sir Henry Hamilton, 1st Bt | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forEnnis 1776–1783 With:Sir Lucius O'Brien, 3rd Bt 1776–1778 Francis Bernard 1778–1783 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forKillybegs 1783–1790 With:James FitzGerald 1783 William Colvill 1783–1790 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forEnnis 1790–1796 With:Sir Lucius O'Brien, 3rd Bt 1790–1795 Sir Edward O'Brien, 4th Bt 1795–1796 | Succeeded by |
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| People | |
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