William Gerard

Who was William Gerard?

Sir William Gerard was an Elizabethan statesman with a distinguished record of service in England, Wales and Ireland. He sat in the House of Commons for Chester for many years, and was Vice-President of the Council of Wales and the Marches. He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland for five years: historians have praised his energetic efforts to reform the legal system, although they differ on his effectiveness. Despite being a layman he was Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, although he admitted to an uneasy conscience on the subject.