Vigors, Nicholas Aylward (1786 -1840)

Nicholas Aylward Vigors, of Old Leighlin in County Carlow, was the only son of Nicholas Aylward Vigors of Old Leighlin and Belmont in County Carlow, and his first wife, Catherine, daughter of Solomon Richards of Solsborough in County Wexford. He was educated at Trinity College Oxford, where he matriculated 16 November 1803, and entered Lincoln's Inn 14 November 1806. He left Oxford without a degree late in 1809, and purchased an Ensigncy in the Grenadier Guards, served in the Peninsular War, and was seriously wounded at Barossa, 15 March 1811. He returned to Oxford and graduated B.A. in 1817, and M.A. in 1818. He devoted himself to zoology, especially birds and insects, and on the formation of the Zoological Society in 1826 he presented his collections to the Society, became its Secretary, and held the post until 1833. He was also a Fellow of the Linnean Society, of the Royal Society, the Society of Antiquaries, and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Institution. On his father's death in 1828 he succeeded to the family estates and entered Parliament as Member of Parliament for the town of Carlow in 1832. He lost his seat in 1835, but sat for County Carlow from 1837 until his death. He died unmarried. Clements believed that the stamp was that of his father, who was a Captain in the 29th regiment of Foot and served in the American War of Independence.