Richard Martin (Irish politician)

For other people named Richard Martin, see Richard Martin (disambiguation).

Richard Martin
Member of Parliament
for County Galway
In office
1818–1826
Serving with James Daly
Member of Parliament
for County Galway
In office
1801–1812
Serving with
Richard Le Poer Trench 1801–1805
Denis Bowes Daly 1805–1812
Member of Parliament
for County Galway
In office
1800–1801
Member of Parliament
for Lanesborough
In office
1798–1800
Member of Parliament
for Jamestown
In office
1776–1783
Personal details
Born(1754-01-17)17 January 1754
Dangan, County Galway, Ireland
Died6 January 1834(1834-01-06) (aged 79)
Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
Political partyIndependent
Other political
affiliations		Patriot Party (1776–83)
Spouse(s)Hon. Elizabeth Vesey (divorced 1791)
Harriet Evans Martin (m. 1794)
EducationHarrow School
Alma materTrinity College, Cambridge
OccupationPolitician, animal welfare campaigner
Military service
Allegiance Ireland
Branch/serviceYeomanry
Irish Volunteers
RankColonel
UnitBallynahinch Yeomanry
County Galway Volunteers

Colonel Richard Martin (15 January 1754[citation needed] – 6 January 1834), was an Irish politician and campaigner against cruelty to animals. He was known as "Humanity Dick", a nickname bestowed on him by King George IV.[1] He succeeded in getting the pioneering Cruel Treatment of Cattle Act 1822, nicknamed 'Martin's Act', passed into British law.[2]

  1. ^ Shevawn Lynam, Humanity Dick Martin 'King of Connemara' 1754-1834 (Dublin: Lilliput Press, 1989), p 171
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).