John Wainwright (judge)

[5] The third Baron, despite his junior rank, held a surprisingly lucrative position as he received fees for the swearing of affidavits, and Wainwright, after his long struggle to make a living at the English bar, guarded his perquisites jealously, fighting any suggestion that he be promoted to a more senior but less well-remunerated office.

Even when the Government, which wished to find a seat on the Bench for the Solicitor General for Ireland, put pressure on him to accept promotion, he firmly resisted.

[1] While on assize in Munster in the spring of 1741 he fell seriously ill of the fever, and was brought back to Dublin, where he died at Mount Merrion in early April.

An Irish elegy paid eloquent tribute to his qualities: "a steady heart, discerning and discreet, in temper candid and in manner sweet".

[6] Lord Jocelyn a few weeks earlier had written that his death "would be a great loss to me on account of our particular friendship", and also to the public, as he had the ability to be an outstanding judge, and was still just over fifty years old.