Alexander Fitton

Sir Alexander Fitton (1630? – 1698) sometimes known by his disputed Jacobite title Baron Gawsworth, was an Irish barrister and judge, who became Lord Chancellor of Ireland, despite having spent many years in prison for criminal libel.

Fitton was the eldest son of William Fitton of Awrice, County Limerick and his wife Eva Trevor, daughter of Sir Edward Trevor of Denbighshire. He was the great-grandson of Sir Edward Fitton, Vice-Treasurer of Ireland. The Irish Fittons were a junior branch of the Fittons of Gawsworth Old Hall, Cheshire; the dispute over the ownership of Gawsworth was to pre-occupy Alexander for most of his life. He married Anne Joliffe, daughter of Thomas Joliffe of Worcestershire and they had one surviving daughter; Anne died in 1687.

He entered Gray's Inn in 1654 and the Inner Temple in 1655; he was called to the Bar in 1662. Since he quickly became embroiled in the Gawsworth inheritance claim, it is unclear if he ever practised as a barrister, which later led to questions about his suitability for judicial office, quite apart from the obvious objection of his criminal conviction.

Sir Edward Fitton, 2nd Baronet, of Gawsworth, died in 1643 without issue; he had seven sisters, but the nearest male Fitton heir was Alexander's father William. In 1641 Edward made a settlement creating an entail in favour of William and his male heirs. This was done against the violent protests of Charles Gerard, son of Edward's sister Penelope, who was the nearest heir by blood. After Edward's death the Gerards tried to hold Gawsworth by force; but the progress of the English Civil War turned in the Fitton family's favour: as a staunch Royalist Gerard's own estates were forfeited and he left England about 1645, leaving the Fittons in possession until the Restoration.

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