Sir Richard Sullivan, 1st Baronet

Sir Richard Joseph Sullivan, 1st Baronet (10 December 1752 – 17 July 1806) was a British MP and writer.

He was born the third son of Benjamin Sullivan of Dromeragh, Co. Cork, by his wife Bridget, daughter of Paul Limrick, D.D.

With the help of Laurence Sullivan, chairman of the East India Company, he was sent early in life to India with his brother John. On his return to Europe he made a tour through various parts of England, Scotland and Wales. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries on 9 June 1785 and a Fellow of the Royal Society on 22 December 1785.

On 29 January 1787 he was elected MP for New Romney and returned for the same constituency at the general election on 19 June 1790. He lost his seat in 1796, but on 5 July 1802 was elected for Seaford, another of the Cinque ports. On 22 May 1804, on Pitt's return to office, Sullivan was created a baronet of the United Kingdom.

He wrote a number of books on political issues.

He died at his home in Thames Ditton, Surrey, on 17 July 1806.

He had married, on 3 December 1778, Mary, daughter of Thomas Lodge of Leeds. Their eldest son died young in 1789, and the title devolved on the second son, Henry (1785–1814), MP for the city of Lincoln, who fell at Toulouse on 14 April 1814.

The latter was succeeded as third baronet by his brother, Sir Charles Sullivan (1789–1862), who entered the navy in February 1801 and became Admiral of the Blue.