William Henry BRERETON [1824-1887] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

William Henry BRERETON [1824-1887]

Names
Given: 
William Henry
Family: 
Brereton
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
1824-05-26
Birthplace (town, state): 
Dublin
Birthplace (country): 
Death
Date: 
1887-10-24
Cause of death: 
Brights Disease
 
William Henry Brereton QC (born Dublin & died at his home on Mount Gough, The Peak, Hong Kong 24 Oct 1887) was buried in Happy Valley cemetery. He was the only son of Francis Frederick Brereton (Solicitor of Dublin) & was baptised in St. Mary's, Dublin on 23 July 1824 (his birth date is given as 26 May 1824).  The  Death Notice in The China Mail 25 Oct 1887 gives his age as 59.
 
He married twice -1) In Dublin 1846 to Eliza Jane Percy nee Scholes. 2) In Kensington 1878 to Annie Louisa Latimer Collins. There were children from both marriages. Both of his sons died in childhood.
Children from 1st marriage:1) Georgina Elizabeth born Dublin 1847. 2) Emily Charlotte born Dublin 1860. 3) Laura Frances born Dublin 1854 (died HK 1871). 4) Anna Maria born Dublin 1856. 5) Thomas William born Dublin 1860 (died as a  child). 6) Henry William born Dublin 1863 (died as a child in Dublin). 7) Mary Anne born Dublin 1849. 8) Eliza Jane born Dublin 1852.
Children from 2nd marriage: Ethel Latimer Brereton born Hong Kong 13 June 1879 & Beatrice Fisher Latimer Brereton born HK 1881 (Ethel was baptised 06 Aug 1879 St John's Cathedral HK). According to his daughter Ethel's birth & baptism certs. he was living at 'Beauregard' Victoria in 1879.
 
Only 2 daughters married -
1) Emily Charlotte Brereton married twice -in 1876 in Hong Kong to Count Hans Kiaer/Kioer http://gwulo.com/node/21962 who died in HK 28 June 1884 (their only son died in infancy). Next, Emily married in Dublin to Thomas Ponsonby King Kennan & they had 2 sons. Emily died in 1938 in Basutoland.
2) Ethel Latimer Brereton married in 1907 in Hackney Middlesex to Capt. Henry Barnard Stoton (a widower born Ootacamnund India 1867 he died Cologne 1922). They had 3 children.
 
In 1867 WH Brereton  joined the law firm in Hong Kong of Henry Charles Caldwell http://gwulo.com/node/21991 & became a partner by 1870 ('Caldwell & Brereton'). After 1871, the firm became known as 'Brereton & Wootton'.  In 1880 the firm was joined by Victor Hobart Deacon & became 'Brereton, Wootton & Deacon'.  The firm exists today in Hong Kong as Deacons http://gwulo.com/node/21983 .
 
In 1877 his book 'Tales Of Irish Life' was published.
 
in 1886 William Henry Brereton was called to the Bar in Middle Temple, Kensington (17 June) & was also appointed Queens Standing Counsel in London to the Chinese Government (30 March).
 
His will (with codicil) was proved in the Supreme Court of Hong Kong on 16 Oct 1887.
 
See obituary in The China Mail 24 Oct 1887- As a lawyer he was remembered as "a shrewd adviser and a ready speaker".
 
 
Connections: 

Comments

The 1887 Ladies Directory lists a Miss A Brereton.

The Inscriptions for cemetery sections 01-09 shows: 

04---/09/05- Sacred/ to/ the beloved memory/ of/ WILLIAM HENRY BRERETON/ who/ died October 24th 1887/ The Gift of God is eternal life/ Rom. v. 23/ This stone is erected by/ his ever sorrowing children.

And the Inscriptions for cemetery sections 10-16 shows:

13---/04/02- Sacred/ to/ the memory/ of/ LAURA FRANCES/ the/ beloved daughter/ of/ W.H. BRERETON Esq/ who died/ on the 13th August 1871/ aged 17 years.'And there shall be no night there'.#3855

Regards, David 

William Henry Brereton QC
William Henry Brereton QC, by Brereton_84

 

William Henry Brereton  obituary China Mail 24 Oct 1887
William Henry Brereton obituary China Mail 24 Oct 1887, by Brereton_84

 

"AT a general examination of the students of the Inns of Court, held at Lincolns Hall between the 14th and the 22nd May, the Council of Legal Education awarded to Mr William Henry Brereton, well known in Hongkong, a certificate that he had satisfactorily passed a public examination. In the ordinary course, Mr Brereton would be called to the Bar about the middle of last month."

Source: The China Mail, page 2, 20th July 1885