Edward Blair Michell (1843–1926) was an English

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in superior courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching law and ...

and rower who won the Wingfield Sculls in 1866 and the Diamond Challenge Sculls at

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the thre ...

in 1866 and 1867. He was also a boxer, a linguist, an authority on

falconry Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey to these birds. Two traditional terms are used to describe a person ...

and the author of books on a variety of subjects.

Life

Michell was born at Oxford, the son of

Richard Michell Richard Michell (1805–1877) was an English churchman and academic, the first principal of the second foundation of Hertford College, Oxford Life The third son of Edward Michell of Bruton and Ann Clements of Wyke Champflower, in Somerset, he w ...

principal of Hertford College, Oxford, and his wife Amelia Blair. He was at

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

, and was a strong rower and boxer. His sister was Mary Caroline Mitchell who was involved in a society scandal following her second marriage in 1889. In 1865 he entered the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley but was beaten by W B Woodgate. However he won against Woodgate in 1866 and 1867. He also won the Wingfield Sculls against Woodgate in 1866, but did not compete in 1867 because of sciatica. In 1868 he capsized in the Wingfield Sculls, and earned criticism for racing without a shirt. Michell was also champion of the Clyde, Severn, Ouse and Wye. He was a champion heavy, middle and lightweight boxer. Michell became a barrister. He was also a French avocat and highly fluent in French. He managed to get into Paris after the German armistice in 1871 and was in Paris during the time of the Paris Commune. He published a view of life under the commune in Fraser's Magazine, noting that although he and a colleague had not been very well treated by the Communist authorities they agreed that never in their time, and they both knew Paris well, had that city been so admirably managed in every way as under the rule of the Commune. Michell was later legal adviser to

Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร� ...

, King Rama V of Siam and fluent in Siamese wrote a Siamese-English dictionary. Michell was expert on hawking and was considered possibly the greatest authority on

merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

s. He wrote on the art and practice of hawking. Michell is also said to have purchased Wimbledon for the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.Wingfield Sculls Record of Races
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Publications

*The Practice and Procedure in Appeals from India to the Privy Council (with R B Michell) (1876) *The Badminton Library: Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling - with F. C. Grove (1890)
A Siamese-English Dictionary (1892)
*The Art and Practice of Hawking (1900)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michell, Edward Blair 1843 births 1926 deaths Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford English male rowers English male boxers