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- BIOGRAPHY
John Claudius Beresford was a banker in Dublin, doing business in Bertsford Place until 1810, and, as Beresford & Co., in Henry Street after that date. He became prominent in the municipal life of Dublin, was alderman for twenty-five years, and served his term as lord mayor 1814-1815. During the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798, Beresford led a yeoman battaltion which fought against the rebels with a particular ferocity. He kept a riding school in Dublin, which acquired an evil reputatation as the chief scene of the floggings by which evidence was extorted from the United Irishmen, As such, he became identified as one of the leading opponents of the rebellion, and the rebels deliberately burnt the banknotes issued by his banl. His reputation for persecuting political opponents survived throughout his political career. He took a prominent part in the Irish House of Commons, where he unsuccessfully moved the reduction of the proposed Irish contribution to the imperial exchequer in the debates on the Act of Union. He was to the last an ardent opponent of the union. He removed from Dublin probably soon after 1841, first to Coleraine, then to Port Stewart, and finally to Glenamoyle, Londonderry county.
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