Henry Singleton (judge)

[4] In 1739, when the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland fell vacant, Singleton lobbied hard for it, arguing that his "fifteen years of faithful service to the Crown" surely entitled him to "a place of more ease, though less profit, than his present situation".

[7] Singleton was finally raised to the Bench as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas in 1740, and was praised for bringing "learning and judgment" to that office.

Eventually, in 1753 he resigned as Chief Justice;[3] the following year he became Master of the Rolls in Ireland (which was then largely a sinecure rather than the senior judicial office which it became later, although he was said to fill it with "great dignity").

Surprisingly, he was asked to resume his political career in order to support the Government, but it was quickly recognised that he was "too worn out" to play any active role.

He died unmarried in 1759 and was buried in St. Peter's Church of Ireland, Drogheda, where his nephew Sydenham Singleton erected an impressive monument in his memory, sculpted by John Hickey.

He also owned property in County Cavan[3] Despite a rather haughty manner, which led to his nickname "the Prime Serjeant Grand", and is borne out by the portrait of him by Michael Ford in his judicial robes,[14] Singleton was loved and respected by those who knew him well.

[15] William Yorke, his successor as Chief Justice, and husband of his niece Charity, even while nudging him towards retirement, had nothing but praise for Singleton both as a man and a judge.