Charles Kendal Bushe

Charles Kendal Bushe (1767 – 10 July 1843), was an Irish lawyer and judge. Known as "silver-tongued Bushe", he was Solicitor-General for Ireland from 1805 to 1822 and Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland from 1822 to 1841.

Background and education

Bushe was born at Kilmurry, County Kilkenny, the only son of the Reverend Thomas Bushe and his wife Katherine Doyle. He graduated from the University of Dublin and was called to the Bar in 1790.

Legal and judicial career

Bushe was a member of the Irish Parliament for Callan from 1796 to 1799 and Donegal Borough from 1799 to 1800. He was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland in 1805 and held the office for 17 years until in 1822 he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland (although only after William Saurin, the equally long-serving Attorney-General had refused the position). He retired in 1841.

As an advocate "silver-tongued Bushe" was legendary for his eloquence; as a judge according to Elrington Ball he did not live up to expectations^[1]. As a politician he was often accused of double-dealing: opposing the Act of Union but accepting office afterwards and supporting Catholic Emancipation while prosecuting Catholic supporters of the same cause for sedition. In Dublin, he was a member of Daly's Club.^[2]

Family

Bushe married Anne Crampton and they had five children; his daughter Charlotte married John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket and was mother of William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin. Dunbar Plunket Barton, a leading judge of the early 1900s, was descended from Bushe.

References

1. ^ Ball, F. Elrington "The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921" John Murray, London, 1926
2. ^ T. H. S. Escott, Club Makers and Club Members (1913), pp. 329–333

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by William Meeke Hon. Francis Mathew	Member of Parliament for Callan 1796–1799 With: William Meeke 1796–1797 Patrick Welch 1797–1799	Succeeded by Patrick Welch James Savage
Preceded by Hugh O'Donnell William Cusack-Smith	Member of Parliament for Donegal Borough 1799–1801 With: William Cusack-Smith	Constituency abolished
Political offices
Preceded by William Plunket	Solicitor-General for Ireland 1805–1822	Succeeded by Henry Joy
Preceded by William Downes	Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench for Ireland 1822–1841	Succeeded by Edward Pennefather

Persondata
Name	Bushe, Charles Kendal
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1767
Place of birth	Kilmurry in County Kilkenny
Date of death	1843
Place of death