User:Snoooooooopywaves/sandbox/John Hatch

John Hatch (around 1720-1797) was a politician, land agent and developer in Dublin. An MP and a prominent figure in 18th century city life, he is responsible for the layout and construction of Harcourt Street and Hatch Street.

Early life
Hatch was born around 1720, the son of Henry Hatch, a land agent on a number of large estates originally from Louth-Monaghan but resident in Dublin's Peter Street. He entered Trinity College Dublin in 1736, graduating in 1739. He was called to the Bar in 1749.

Career
Upon the death of his father in 1762, he inherited his substantial fortune and took on much of his agenting work. In 1768, he became seneschal of the Liberty of St Sepulchre, acting as agent for the land belonging to the Archbishop of Dublin attached to his palace in Kevin Street.

The role allowed him a central position in Dublin planning at a time when the centre of the city was shifting eastward, following the building of the Royal Exchange at Dame Street in 1769 and the positioning of the Custom House further downstream at its modern site in 1774. It was also the period of the Wide Streets Commission and the construction of many of Dublin's characteristic Georgian streets.

Having secured land from the Liberty, he laid out a plan for a new street running from Stephen's Green towards the Circular Road to the south. It was laid out from 1777 and first appears on maps in 1784. By 1791, he had developed the street to its full intended length. He lived himself at Number 40, and sold Number 17 to John Scott, a judge and prominent member of the city's establishment. He also developed the adjacent Hatch Street, which runs from Harcourt Street to Leeson Street.

He was elected to the Irish House of Commons as MP for the constituency of Swords in 1768. He lost the seat in 1776, but resumed it in 1783 until 1790. He also served as secretary to the Revenue Commissioners, director of the Grand Canal Company and as a member of the board of governors of the Dublin Workhouse at stages through his career.

Personal life
Hatch's father was Henry Hatch, who developed a substantial fortune as agent to Lord Palmerston and on a number of other estates.

Hatch married Barbara Synge, daughter of the Bishop of Killaloe, in 1765. They had two daughters, Dorothy, who married Rev Sir Samuel Synge-Hutchinson, 3rd Baronet Hutchinson, and Elizabeth, who married Francis Synge. Barbara disappears from records in 1767 and her death is referred to in later sources during Hatch's lifetime.

During his marriage, he lived in a house on the south-west corner of Stephen's Green, near the beginning of the future Harcourt Street, and he also owned Lissenhall House in Swords, which he made infrequent use of. His trips out of Dublin to tend to estate business inherited from his father were also infrequent.

He died in 1791 without leaving a will, but ultimately leaving substantial property to his son in law, Francis Synge.