Wednesday 1 June 2022

The Jackson Baronetcy

THOMAS JACKSON, of Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland, and of Coleraine, County Londonderry, was at the battle of the Boyne, and stood high in the favour of WILLIAM III.

He married Susannah, sister of SIR TRISTRAM BERESFORD Bt (ancestor of the Marquesses of Waterford).
Miss Beresford's family was considerably powerful in the Coleraine area and her marriage to William Jackson, who also owned substantial estates near Coleraine and acted as agent for the Irish Society, was deemed a dynastic alliance. 

She had perhaps seven surviving children from her first and her husband's second marriage. Her husband fell out of favour with the Irish Society over the improper exploitation of timber belonging to them. 

Richard Jackson, of Draperstown, who served in Michelburne's regiment, was probably her son. 

In the aftermath of the siege, Susannah married John Michelburne. Both she and her daughter stood guarantee for a loan given by the Stronges to her new husband. 

Her son, William Jackson, stood in the 1697 by-election for County Londonderry, which followed the death of George Philips MP. Although the election was won by James Lennox, Mayor of Londonderry, Jackson overturned the result and had himself declared MP for the county.
Mr Jackson was succeeded by his son,

WILLIAM JACKSON, of Coleraine, who married Miss Gorges, of Kilbrew, County Meath, and was father of

WILLIAM JACKSON, who espoused, in 1729, Frances, only daughter of George Eyre, of Eyre Court, County Galway, by Barbara his wife, daughter and co-heir of Thomas, 1st Earl Coningsby, and had (with a daughter, Mary, married to the Ven Edward Goulding, Archdeacon of Derry), a son,

THE RT HON RICHARD JACKSON (c1731-89), MP for Coleraine, 1751-89, High Sheriff of County Armagh, 1760, Chief Secretary for Ireland, who married firstly, Lydia, niece of William Richardson MP; secondly, Nicola, daughter and co-heir of Arthur Cecil Hamilton, of Castle Hamilton, County Cavan; and thirdly, in 1768, Anne, daughter of Charles O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, County Antrim, and sister of JOHN, 1ST VISCOUNT O'NEILL.

By his first two wives he had no child, but by the third he had issue,
GEORGE, his heir;
Richard, died unmarried, 1767;
Anne, m Dr Nathaniel Alexander, Lord Bishop of Meath;
Mary, m John Hamiltom O'Hara, of Crebilly;
Harriet.
His eldest son,

GEORGE JACKSON (1776-1851), MP for Coleraine, 1789-96, Randalstown, 1797-1800, was created a baronet in 1813, designated of Fork Hill, County Armagh, and of Beech Hill, Surrey.

He married, in 1814, Anne, daughter of William Woodville, of Edgehill, Lancashire.

Sir George, having served in the army and attained military rank, had no surviving issue, and the baronetcy expired.


THE MANOR HOUSE, Coleraine, County Londonderry, was a building of two storeys over a basement with a dormered attic, and six bays. It was originally built in 1680.
This building was seemingly the official residence of the agents of the Clothworkers' livery company: The Jacksons and Edmond Stronge both filled this office. In 1871, the estate was bought by Sir Hervey Henry Bruce Bt for £150,000 (£1.5 million in today's money) and became part of the Downhill estate, created originally by The Earl-Bishop.
The old manor-house was enlarged and remodelled about 1770 by Richard Jackson, who gave it an extraordinary roof parapet of curving open-work, Chinese-style; and apparently open porches surmounted by ball finials in front of the dormers.

The windows received octagonal glazing.

The manor-house was originally faced in brick, though was rendered in cement during the 1920s.

Most of the windows were subsequently re-glazed.


The manor house was inhabited by the Jacksons from 1680 till 1803, when it was occupied by the Rev Michael Alexander.

Mrs D Maxwell was the tenant and manager between 1824-42.

From 1840-71, the Clothworkers' Company occupied the house; Charles James Knox and Edmond Stronge were successive agents.


Sir Henry Hervey Bruce Bt was resident there, 1871-1907; H T Barrie, 1914; D H Christie, 1930; Coleraine Health Centre; and ultimately Londonderry County Council, 1956-82.

Captain Stronge changed its name to the Manor House and built a lodge.

Coleraine Manor house, 6th June, 1982, two days before demolition (Image: Norman Maxwell)

It was demolished it in 1982 to form a car-park at the rear of the County Hall.

I'm seeking better images of the manor house: if any readers can help, please get in touch.

Former seats ~ Fork Hill, County Armagh; Beech Hill, Surrey.

First published in May, 2012.

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