Feargus OConnor

@Chartist Leader, Family and Family ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Feargus O’Connor was a prominent Chartist leader who successfully made Chartism the first working class national movement Cancer Celebrities British Trinity College, Dublin Political Activists Leaders Political Leaders Feargus O’Connor was the leading face of Chartist movement that claimed to restore the rights of the working class in the society. Despite being born in an Irish Protestant household, O’Connor despised power of the Church. He instead was a reforming landlord who believed in building a party that represented the interests of the working class. In his life, he succeeded in making Chartism the first specifically working class national movement. O’Connor jumped into mainstream Chartism by 1830s and found himself deeply engrossed in the movement. He was involved with the more radical side of the movement and was critical of moderate Chartist’s leaders William Lovett and Henry Hetherington. An influential orator with leadership skills, he travelled across the country organizing and addressing huge meetings. What made him an effective speaker was his ability to speak to the crowds in terms that they could understand and relate to. Highly charismatic, he was much admired for his assertiveness, energy and vivaciousness. Interestingly, of his six points’ charter that he constantly spoke about to working men’s organization, five of them were later embodied in People’s Charter. It was after the failure of his Land Scheme that O’Connor’s behaviour became increasingly erratic and irrational. His violent behaviour landed him in a mental asylum where he was declared insane. He breathed his last on August 30, 1855

Personal Details

Birthday: July 18, 1794 Died on: August 30, 1855 Nationality: British Famous: Chartist Leader, Trinity College, Dublin, Political Activists, Leaders, Political Leaders Known as: Feargus Edward O'Connor Universities: Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin Notable Alumnis: Trinity College Dublin Information Detail Birthday July 18, 1794 Died on August 30, 1855 Nationality British Famous Chartist Leader, Trinity College, Dublin, Political Activists, Leaders, Political Leaders Known as Feargus Edward O'Connor Universities Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin Notable Alumnis Trinity College Dublin Birth Place United Kingdom Gender Male Sun Sign Cancer Born in United Kingdom Famous as Chartist Leader Died at Age 61

United Kingdom

Feargus OConnor born at Unsplash Birth Place

Though O’Connor never legally married, he is said to have been involved in numerous love affairs. He fathered several children from these affairs. Unsplash Personal Life

Towards the last years of his life, O’Connor’s mental health became sharply unbalanced as he began to exhibit irrational behaviour. It is speculated that he faced mental breakdown. The situation worsened when he physically assaulted three MP’s due to which he was arrested and transferred into a mental asylum. Possibility of him suffering from early stages of general paralysis of the insane due to syphilis became high. Unsplash Personal Life

He breathed his last on August 30, 1855 at his sister’s house in Notting Hill. He was buried ten days later on September 10 at the Kensal Green cemetery. Unsplash Personal Life

Feargus O’Connor was born on July 18, 1794 to Roger O’Connor in Connorville house in West County Cork. His family was Irish Protestant by faith. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Christened Edward Bowen O’Connor, he attained his first name from his father who preferred calling the young boy Feargus. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

O’Connor spent much of his early life at family estates in Ireland including the Dangan Caste. He completed his early education from Portarlington Grammar School before enrolling for a course in law at Trinity College, Dublin. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

In 1820, he inherited an estate from his uncle in Cork. Same year, he was called to the Irish bar of which he became a member. His membership at the bar offended his father who eventually disowned him. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

O’Connor’s career commenced during the early 1830s as he emerged as the leading advocate of Irish rights and democratic political reform. He was critical of the British Whig government policies on Ireland. Unsplash Career

In 1830, the passage of the Reform Bill raised an agitation in which O’Connor largely participated. Though he was arrested, he escaped detainment. Same year, with the help of Daniel O’Connell, leader of the Irish Radicals, he became a Member of the Parliament in the British House of Commons as a Repeal candidate. Unsplash Career

Though O’Connor came into the parliament as a supporter of O’Connell, the two soon turned foes. O’Connor tried replacing the latter as the leader of the Irish Radicals but failed. Unsplash Career

In the 1835 general elections, O’Connor was unseated from the parliament as he did not meet the property qualifications. Upon losing his seat, he ran for the late William Cobbett’s seat but only ended up splitting the Radical vote which eventually benefitted the Tories. Unsplash Career

Towards the mid-1830s, O’Connor toured the country campaigning for parliamentary reforms. He brought to light universal suffrage, need for equal representation, abolition of property qualification and better working conditions in the industrial districts of England and Scotland. Unsplash Career

He was the first and only Chartist Member of Parliament. He stood from Nottingham and served as the MP from 1847 to 1852. Unsplash Trivia

Information	Detail
Birthday	July 18, 1794
Died on	August 30, 1855
Nationality	British
Famous	Chartist Leader, Trinity College, Dublin, Political Activists, Leaders, Political Leaders
Known as	Feargus Edward O'Connor
Universities	Trinity College Dublin Trinity College Dublin
Notable Alumnis	Trinity College Dublin
Birth Place	United Kingdom
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Cancer
Born in	United Kingdom
Famous as	Chartist Leader
Died at Age	61

Feargus OConnor

British

Jul 18, 1794

Biography

Personal Details

United Kingdom