773 Hugh Law

Constituency : County  Londonderry  1874-81

Hugh  was  the  other  successful  Liberal  at  Londonderry.

Hugh  was  a  barrister  educated  at  Trinity  College  , Dublin. Hugh  was  a  close  ally  to  Gladstone, like  him  Hugh  had  originally  been  a  Conservative. He  was  the  main  drafter  of  the  disestablishment  legislation  of  1869  and  the  first  Irish  Land  Act.  He  started  out  in  the  government  of  1868  as  law  adviser  to  Lord  Spencer  and  was  rapidly  promoted  to  attorney-general  for  Ireland. This  meant  it  was  desirable  to  find  him  a  parliamentary  seat.

Hugh  resumed  the  role  when  Gladstone  returned  to   power  in  1880  and  was  involved  in  prosecuting  Parnell  and  the  Irish  National  Land  League  for  conspiracy. In  1881  he  was  created  Lord  Chancellor  of  Ireland  in  order  to  steer  through  the  second  Irish  Land  Act  in  the  Lords  which  he  did  with  great  skill  and  tact.

He  died  in  1883  from  a  lung  infection. He  was  65.