Sir Peter FitzGerald, 19th Knight of Kerry

Sir Peter George FitzGerald, 1st Baronet (15 September 1808 – 6 August 1880), also styled as the 19th Knight of Kerry, was an Irish nobleman and landowner.

Early life Peter George FitzGerald was born on 15 September 1808 and was raised in the banking house of his maternal grandfather in Dublin. He was the eldest surviving son of the Right Hon. Sir Maurice FitzGerald, 18th Knight of Kerry (1774–1849) of Gleanleam, Valentia Island, County Kerry and his wife Maria, the daughter of the Right Honourable David la Touche of Marlay.

Career Sir Peter entered the civil service and was appointed Vice-Treasurer of Ireland in the last ministry of Sir Robert Peel. In 1849, he succeeded his father and resided most often on Valentia Island. He devoted himself to the improvement of his estates, and the welfare of his tenantry. He especially earned the thanks of the people by the erection of substantial homesteads in place of the old and poorly maintained cabins that were common for the middleman system in the west of Ireland. FitzGerald had a keen interest in all questions which had a practical bearing on the progress or prosperity of Ireland and, in contributions to The Times, he deprecated the censure that was cast so often indiscriminately upon Irish landlords.

Personal life On 11 August 1838, FitzGerald married Julia Hussey, daughter of Peter Bodkin Hussey of Farranikilla House, County Kerry, a lineal descendant of the Norman family of Hoses, which settled on the promontory of Dingle in the thirteenth century. He and Lady Julia had four sons and seven daughters: Mary Emily Francis FitzGerald (1863–1917), who married Sir Capel Molyneux, 7th Baronet (died 1879) of Castle Dillon, County Armagh in 1863. FitzGerald was a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for County Kerry, and was High Sheriff of Kerry in 1849, and of County Carlow in 1875. On 8 July 1880, he was created a baronet of Valentia in the County of Kerry, in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom.

Death Peter FitzGerald died on 6 August 1880. He was succeeded in his titles and estates by his eldest son, Captain Maurice FitzGerald, who became 2nd Baronet, 20th Knight of Kerry. Captain Fitzgerald served with distinction in the Anglo-Ashanti wars, being present at the battles of Amoaful, Becquah, and Ordahau, and at the capture of Coomassie.