Redmond Reade

Redmond Reade (died 28 October 1842) was an Irish civic official who served as Mayor of Kilkenny in 1836, he was the first Catholic to hold the office following Catholic Emancipation in 1829. He served as Treasurer of County Kilkenny and was styled Alderman at the time of his death.

Career

In July 1829 he was among the 21 leading householders of Kilkenny city who signed an application to Dublin Castle requesting the implementation of the lighting, cleansing and watching Act within the city, each signatory being required to occupy a house of an annual value of £20 or more.

By 1834 Reade held the position of Treasurer of County Kilkenny, one of the senior civic offices of the county, at a time when Catholic participation in public life had only recently become possible following the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829.

In 1836 he was elected Mayor of Kilkenny, becoming the first Catholic to hold the office.

In June 1840 Reade resigned as County Treasurer. His eldest son George Reade was elected to succeed him by a majority of 21 votes over Mr William Clifford of Thomastown.

Reade died on 28 October 1842, styled Alderman, at Kilkenny. A record of his will is held at The National Archives, though the original was destroyed in the Four Courts fire of 1922.

Family

His eldest son, **George Reade**, succeeded him as Treasurer of County Kilkenny in 1840.

His eldest daughter, **Catherine Bridget Reade**, married Denis Mahony Esq. of Cork. Following his death she remarried in London in November 1847.

His third daughter, **Frances Reade**, died on 5 January 1852 aged 26 at Sion near Kilkenny.

His third son, **William Reade**, of Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, London, married Julia Macdonell, second daughter of William Brown Kitchiner Esq. of Wilton-place, Belgrave-square, London, at Mortlake on 1 June 1853.