This article first appeared in the Ulster Bulwark, the magazine of the Evangelical Protestant Society and kind permission has been granted to re-publish it here.
Edward Carson was born in Dublin on 9 Feb 1854. His father was a Presbyterian of Scots descent and his mother was Church of Ireland and a descendent of the Cromwellian General John Lambert. Carson was brought up in the Church of Ireland. He was taught the truth of the Bible by his mother. In his last major speech in Parliament, in the House of Lords in 1927, he said: ‘religion is a thing that you learn at your Mother’s knee ... Any religion I ever learned was from my Mother, and it is to me one of the most precious possessions’.
Carson studied law at Trinity College, Dublin, and joined the Orange Order as a student in 1872. A clergyman who was present at his initiation wrote ‘that he can bear witness that he was a decided Christian, and worked as an evangelist amongst students during his stay there’. This was confirmed by his biographer, Ian Colvin, who wrote that ‘as a law student at Trinity College he used to preach at street corners of a Sunday night; his religion was something very deep and very dearly cherished’. His legal career began in 1878 and on 19 December 1879, he married Annette Kirwan at Monkstown Parish Church, Dublin. Ten years later he became a QC. Aged 35. he was the youngest QC in Ireland. On 1 July 1892 he was appointed the Irish Solicitor General, and eight days later he became the Liberal Unionist MP for Trinity College, making his maiden speech in the House of Commons on 2 February 1893. After 1893 he built up a legal practice in England, and in May 1900 he was appointed Solicitor General for England.
