On This Day
30 January 1898
Death of Chichester Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford, Liberal MP for Louth 1847-74
First appointed to government under Lord Palmerston, he joined Earl Russell’s second administration as Chief Secretary for Ireland, a post he returned to under Gladstone and later filled a number of posts including President of the Board of Trade and Lord Privy Seal. Although never at the front rank of government, his knowledge of Irish affairs was of use to successive Liberal governments. Fortescue broke with Gladstone in 1886 over Ireland and retired from active politics. A lifelong friend of Edward Lear, it is said that Fortescue was the model for Phineas Finn MP in Antony Trollope’s Palliser novels.