18 Facts About Augustine Birrell

Augustine Birrell KC was a British Liberal Party politician, who was Chief Secretary for Ireland from 1907 to 1916.

Augustine Birrell was educated at Amersham Hall school and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he was made an Honorary Fellow in 1879.

Augustine Birrell started work in a solicitor's office in Liverpool but was called to the Bar in 1875, becoming a KC in 1893 and a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1903.

In 1911 Augustine Birrell served as Lord Rector of Glasgow University.

Augustine Birrell found success as a writer with the publication of a volume of essays entitled Obiter Dicta in 1884.

Augustine Birrell retained his seat in the general elections of 1892 and 1895, but in the general election of 1900 he stood in Manchester North East and was defeated.

In December 1905 Augustine Birrell was included in the cabinet of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman as President of the Board of Education, and that month he was sworn of the Privy Council.

Augustine Birrell was returned for Bristol North at the general election of January 1906, in which the Liberals won a large majority.

Augustine Birrell introduced the Education Bill 1906, intended to address nonconformist grievances arising from the Education Act 1902.

The defeat of the bill made it impossible for Augustine Birrell to continue in his post, and in January 1907 he was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, to replace James Bryce who had been made Ambassador to the United States.

Augustine Birrell was described by the paper Votes for Women as one of a number of "Suffragist members of the Cabinet" who met with a deputation from the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, led by Millicent Fawcett, on 8 August 1913, following a similar meeting by the NUWSS with Prime Minister Asquith on the same day.

Augustine Birrell modified MacDonnell's proposal and on 7 May 1907 introduced the Irish Council Bill.

Augustine Birrell suffered further embarrassment when he sought to discontinue the use of the Irish Crimes Act 1887, a coercive measure introduced by Arthur Balfour to deal with agrarian crime, only to be faced with an increase in cattle-driving.

Augustine Birrell's assessment was proved wrong when the Easter Rising began on 24 April 1916.

However, the commission did understand that Augustine Birrell was confined to London due to his cabinet and parliamentary duties between 1914 and 1916.

Only after Eleanor died in 1915 did Augustine Birrell begin to regain some of his old energy and effectiveness as a minister.

Augustine Birrell did not defend his seat in the 1918 general election, nor did he ever return to Ireland.

Augustine Birrell died in London on 20 November 1933, aged eighty-three.