John Ireland Blackburne (28 May 1817 – 5 September 1893) was a British

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

officer and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

politician. Blackburne came from a political family: his father, also John Ireland Blackburne was Member of Parliament (MP) for Newton from 1807 to 1818 and

Warrington Warrington () is an industrial town in the Borough of Warrington, borough of the same name in Cheshire, England. The town sits on the banks of the River Mersey and was Historic counties of England, historically part of Lancashire. It is east o ...

from 1835 to 1847, his mother was Anne née Bamford, of Bamford,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

. His grandfather was John Blackburne (1754–1833), also a member of the

Commons The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons ...

. He sat for

from 1784 – 1831. He was born at Hale Hall near

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, the family home of the Ireland Blackburnes, and was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

. He obtained a commission in the

5th Dragoon Guards The 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards was a British army cavalry regiment, officially raised in January 1686 as Shrewsbury's Regiment of Horse or the Earl of Shrewsbury's Horse. By 1687, it was known as Langsdale's Horse, from ...

and served with the regiment for 14 years, retiring with the rank of captain. On 22 March 1853 he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant of the newly raised part-time

4th Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own Light Infantry) The 4th Royal Lancashire Militia (The Duke of Lancaster's Own Light Infantry) was an auxiliary regiment raised in the county of Lancashire in North West England just before the Crimean War. It later became part of the South Lancashire Regiment. ...

. After his retirement from the command he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the regiment on 11 July 1874 (from 1881 it became the 3rd (Militia) Battalion of the

Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) The South Lancashire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment, which recruited, as its title suggests, primarily from the South Lancashire area, was created as part of the Childers Ref ...

).''Army List'', various dates. In 1874 he inherited his father's large land holdings, and was actively involved in the management of the estate until his death, when it was noted that he was popular with his tenants. In October 1875, Charles Turner, MP for South West Lancashire, died. Accordingly, a

by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...

was held to fill the vacancy. Blackburne was the only candidate nominated, and was thus elected unopposed on 5 November 1875. Blackburne successfully defended his seat at the 1880 general election. The

Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c. 23) was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (sometimes called the "Reform Act of 1885"). It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that r ...

redistributed the two-seat South West Lancashire seat among seven new constituencies. Blackburne retired from parliament at the ensuing

general election A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...

. He was married twice. In 1846 he married Mary Hoghton, daughter of Sir Henry de Hoghton, Baronet. Following her death he married Emma Jemima Ravenscroft, widow of the 15th Viscount Hereford, who died in 1870. Blackburne was a justice of the peace for the

county palatine of Lancaster Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

. He died at his London residence after a long illness in September 1893, aged 77.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Blackburne, John Ireland 1817 births 1893 deaths Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1874–1880 UK MPs 1880–1885 People educated at Eton College 5th Dragoon Guards officers South Lancashire Regiment officers Lancashire Militia officers