William Talbot (Jacobite)

Not to be confused with William Talbot (died 1724).

William Talbot
Esquire of Ballinamony (Castle Talbot)
Died	26 June 1689 Derry
Spouse(s)	Margaret Masterson
Issue Detail	Roger & others
Father	Walter Talbot
Mother	Elinor Esmonde

William Talbot (died 1689) of Ballynamony in County Wexford, also known as Wicked Will, was an Irish Jacobite. He represented Wexford Borough in the Patriot Parliament. He fought for James II during the Williamite War in Ireland at the Siege of Derry where he was wounded and captured. He died of his wounds while a prisoner in the besieged city.

Birth and origins

William was probably born in County Wexford, Ireland, son of Walter Talbot and his wife Elinor Esmonde.[1] His father was esquire of Ballinamony (later called Talbot Castle) near Blackwater, County Wexford. His father was high sheriff of County Wexford in 1649. His father's family was Old English and Catholic, a cadet branch of the Talbots.

His mother was a daughter of William Esmonde, esquire of Johnstown, County Wexford.[2]

Marriage

Talbot married Margaret, daughter of Richard Masterson, esquire of Castletown, County Wexford.[3]

William and Margaret had four sons:

1. Roger, his heir
2. Gabriel, in holy orders
3. Richard
4. James

—and two daughters:

1. Mary
2. Elinor

Patriot Parliament

Talbot was one of the two MPs elected for Wexford Borough for the Patriot Parliament in 1689.[4] It seems it was this William Talbot who was sent to the Lords to convince them to approve the land settlement act.[5]

Death in the Williamite War

Talbot was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of an infantry regiment of the Irish army during the reign of James II. His appointment probably owed much to his family connections with Tyrconnell, who was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1687.[6] William Talbot was one of several of Tyrconnell's relatives to be given commands.[7]

In 1689 Talbot with his regiment fought in the Siege of Derry. He was wounded and captured by the Williamite garrison during an action at Windmill Hill.[8] George Walker, the governor of the city offered to release him in exchange for a £500 ransom, but this was fiercely opposed by many of the townspeople and Walker was forced to abandon the plan. Shortly afterwards Talbot died of his wounds while still in captivity.[9] The defenders thought he was a nephew of Tyrconnel.[10] Some thought he was a brother[11] or a cousin.[12] He was one of many Jacobite officers who perished during the ultimately unsuccessful siege of Derry.

References

1. Burke & Fox-Davies 1912, p. 678, left column, line 68. "Walter Talbot, of Ballynamony, High Sheriff co. Wexford 1649."
2. Burke & Fox-Davies1912, p. 678, left column, line=69. "He [Walter Talbot] m. [married] Elinor, dau. [daughter] of William Esmonde ..."
3. Burke & Fox-Davies 1912, p. 678,, right column, line 25. "He m. [married] Margaret, dau. [daughter] of Richard Masterson ..."
4. D'Alton 1855, p. 51. "... another William Talbot was one of the members for the Borough of Wexford. This last was of the Ballynamoney (now Castle Talbot) line, son of Walter Talbot who had been High Sheriff of the County of Wexford in 1649. He was killed at Derry ..."
5. Simms 1969, p. 82. "Tyrconnell's nephew, Sir William Talbot, was sent to implore the Lords ..."
6. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 170, line 10. "1687, 8 Jan. / 12  Feb. / Richard, 1st e. [earl] of Tyrconnell L.D. [Lord Deputy]"
7. Lenihan 2014, p. 118.
8. Lenihan 2014, p. 179.
9. Childs 2007, p. 109. "... who had personally agreed to ransom Lieutenant Colonel 'Wicked Will' Talbot for £500 ..."
10. Macpherson 1775, p. 202, footnote: "... brigadier Talbot, formerly called Wicked Will, and nephew to Tyrconnell, taken, and dead and buried this day [26 June 1689] of his wounds."
11. Witherow 1879, p. 129. "... Lieutenant-Colonel Talbot — the brother of the Lord Deputy Tyrconnel."
12. Doherty 2008, p. 106. "... Lieutenant Colonel William Talbot, a son of the late Sir Henry Talbot and a cousin of Tyrconnel ..."

Sources

• Burke, Sir Bernard; Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1912). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland (New ed.). London: Harrison & Sons. OCLC 1045621157.
• Childs, John (2007). The Williamite Wars in Ireland 1688–1691. London: Hambledon Continuum Press. ISBN 978-1-85285-573-4. – (Preview)
• D'Alton, John (1855). Illustrations, historical and genealogical, of King James's Irish army list, 1689. Dublin: Published by the author. OCLC 838655763.
• Doherty, Richard (2008). The Siege of Derry 1689 – The Military History. Stroud, Gloucestershire, England: Spellmount. ISBN 978-1-86227-454-9. – (Snippet view)
• Fryde, Edmund Boleslaw; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, No. 2 (3rd ed.). London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-86193-106-8.
• Lenihan, Pádraig (2014). The last Cavalier: Richard Talbot (1631–91). Dublin: University College of Dublin Press. ISBN 978-1-906359-83-6. – Does not seem to be available online
• Macpherson, James (1775). Original Papers: Containing the Secret History of Great Britain, from the Restoration to the Accession of the House of Hanover. To which are Prefixed Extracts from the Life of James II. Written by Himself. London: W Strahan and T Cadell. OCLC 1050258341.
• Simms, John Gerald (1969). Jacobite Ireland, 1685–91. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 978-0-7100-6446-2.
• Witherow, Thomas (1879). Derry and Enniskillen in the Year 1689. London & Belfast: William Mallan & Son. OCLC 82779901.