William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth
William St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth (1628–1671) was an Irish nobleman of the Restoration period. He was an intelligent and popular man who would no doubt have played an influential role in Irish politics but for his premature death.
Though some sources refer to him as the nephew of the 11th baron, the weight of evidence is that he was the only surviving son of Nicholas St Lawrence, 11th Baron Howth and Jane Montgomery, daughter of George Montgomery, Bishop of Derry.[1] He was born in 1628. The St Lawrence family had inherited estates near Colchester through William's grandmother Elizabeth Wentworth, which presumably explains why he was sent to Colchester Grammar School, which he entered in 1639.
His father died at the height of the English Civil War; as a staunch Royalist his property had suffered considerably from attacks by the Parliamentary forces. William himself is said to have been left in peace after his father's death, despite serving briefly with the Royalist forces. In 1660 he used his political influence to support the restoration of Charles II, and was recommended to the King by James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde as a possible military commander.[2]
He was appointed Custos Rotulorum for Dublin in 1661, and sat in the Irish House of Lords on several committees including the Committee for Grievances. In 1665 he is found acting in a judicial capacity at the general sessions in Kilmainham. He was on good terms with Ormond's successor as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor, and entertained him at Howth Castle in 1669.
He fell ill in 1671 and died in June. His last will, dated May 14 1671, contains evidence of his wide circle of gifted friends including Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory, John Keating, the future Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, and the leading physician Nicholas Henshaw. He was buried, by his own direction, in a new vault in St. Mary's Church, Howth.[3]
He married his cousin Elizabeth St Lawrence, widow of Colonel Fitzwilliam.[4] Their children were:
- Thomas St Lawrence, 13th Baron Howth
- Charles
- Mary, who married Henry Montgomery, 3rd Earl of Mount Alexander
- Sarah who married Thomas Stepney
- Martha, who married Hugh O'Neill, later a judge.