Edward Richards Richards-Orpen (20 October 1884 – 14 November 1967) was an Irish

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

politician, agriculturalist and conservationist. He was a member of

Seanad Éireann Seanad Éireann ( ; ; "Senate of Ireland") is the senate of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (defined as the house of representatives). It is commonly called the Seanad or ...

from 1948 to 1951.

Early life and background

He was born Edward Richards Orpen on 20 October 1884 in London, to the family of Adela Orpen (née Richards) and

Goddard Henry Orpen Goddard Henry Orpen (8 May 1852 – 15 May 1932) was an Irish historian. He attended The Abbey School, Tipperary and graduated from Trinity College Dublin. Orpen was the son of Dr. John Herbert Orpen (1805–1888) and Ellen Susanna Gertude ...

of Monksgrange, a historian of the Anglo-Norman period of Irish history. He was also related to Irish portrait painter,

William Orpen Major (United Kingdom), Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, (27 November 1878 – 29 September 1931) was an Irish artist who mainly worked in London. Orpen was a fine draughtsman and a popular, commercially successful painter of portrai ...

. He attended

St Paul's School, London St Paul's School is a Selective school, selective Private schools in the United Kingdom, independent day school (with limited boarding school, boarding) for boys aged 13–18, founded in 1509 by John Colet and located on a 43-acre site by Rive ...

, and went to

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

in 1903. In April 1914 he married Margaret Tomalin, daughter of Lewis Tomalin, founder of the Jaeger clothing company. Before his marriage he changed his surname to Richards-Orpen to satisfy his mother's wish for her family's name to be preserved once he inherited the family estate. In December 1916 during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he joined

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and do ...

(RASC), which undertook the work of food and weapons supply to the soldiers at the front. Because of his dedicated work and leadership qualities, he was quickly promoted. After few months of joining, he was promoted to second lieutenant, followed by the post of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Post-war activities

On inheriting the family estate on his mother's death in 1927, he established Grange Furniture Industry. In 1928, he became secretary of the Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland.

Politics

In 1932, he was involved in the establishment of a new farmers' organisation, the National Farmers' and Ratepayers' League. Later known as the National Centre Party, after the 1933 general election, it merged to form

Fine Gael Fine Gael ( ; ; ) is a centre-right, liberal-conservative, Christian democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann. The party had a member ...

. He was

nominated by the Taoiseach A candidate, or nominee, is a prospective recipient of an award or honor, or a person seeking or being considered for some kind of position. For example, one can be a candidate for membership in a group or election to an office, in which case a ...

to the

6th Seanad The 6th Seanad was in office from 1948 to 1951. An election to Seanad Éireann, the Senate of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament), followed the 1948 general election to the 13th Dáil. The senators served until the close of poll for the 7th Sea ...

in 1948. He did not contest the 1951 Seanad election.

Honors

The Edward Richards-Orpen Memorial Trust was established in his honor. The trust owns and operates the Monksgrange Archives.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards-Orpen, Edward 1884 births 1967 deaths Independent members of Seanad Éireann Members of the 6th Seanad Nominated members of Seanad Éireann Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge People educated at St Paul's School, London Royal Army Service Corps officers British Army personnel of World War I