Joseph Richard Cox

Joseph Richard Cox (1852 – 13 January 1934)[1] was an Irish politician.

From Kilmore, County Roscommon, Joseph Cox was educated at St. Mel's College, County Longford. He became secretary to the Lord Mayor of Dublin.[2] He was elected MP for East Clare in 1885, and was re-elected, unopposed, in 1886. Following the Parnell Split, he became an anti-Parnellite, and in the 1892 general election he was defeated by the Parnellite candidate, William Redmond. Cox launched an election petition, aiming to unseat Redmond, claiming corrupt practices and intimidation. The case was lost, however.[3] Two years later he was declared insolvent, following the award of costs against him following the case. At that time, he had been acting as London agent for a wine company for a number of years.[4]

  1. ^ Bodkin Papers, National Archives of Ireland ref. 1155
  2. ^ The New House of Commons: With Biographical Notices of its Members and of Nominated Candidates (George Edward Wright, 1885) pages 301-302.
  3. ^ Samuel Day et al., Election Cases in 1892 and 1893 (Stephens and Sons, 1894) pages 161 - 167.
  4. ^ The Times, 17 May 1894