Sir Joseph William Chitty (28 May 1828 – 15 February 1899) was an English

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

er,

rower Rowing, sometimes called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using oarlocks, while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is di ...

, judge and

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician.

Early life

Chitty was born in London, the second son of

Thomas Chitty Thomas Chitty (1802 – 13 February 1878) was an English lawyer and legal writer who was pupil master to a generation of eminent lawyers and played a significant role in documenting the legal reforms of the 19th century. Early life Thomas was t ...

(himself son and brother of well-known lawyers), a celebrated

special pleader A special pleader was a historical legal occupation. The practitioner, or "special pleader" in English law specialised in drafting "pleadings", in modern terminology statements of case. History Up to the 19th century, there were many rules, tech ...

and writer of legal textbooks, under whose teaching many distinguished lawyers began their legal education. Joseph Chitty was educated at

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

and

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. One of Oxford's oldest colleges, it was founded around 1263 by John I de Balliol, a landowner from Barnard Castle in County Durham, who provided the f ...

, gaining a first-class in Literae Humaniores in 1851, and being afterwards elected to a fellowship at Exeter College.

Sporting distinctions

Chitty was an all round sportsman with distinctions during his school and college career in athletics. He was a

wicket-keeper and played in the

Eton v Harrow The Eton v Harrow cricket match is an annual match between public school rivals Eton College and Harrow School. It is one of the longest-running annual sporting fixtures in the world and is the last annual school cricket match still to be pla ...

match in four years, captaining Eton in 1847. He also kept wicket for

Marylebone Cricket Club Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London. The club was formerly the governing body of cricket retaining considerable global influence ...

(MCC) in 1846 and 1847. He played for

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

in 1848 and 1849, partaking in

the Varsity match The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford University RFC, Oxford and Cambridge University R.U.F.C., Cambridge in England. The event began in 1872 with the first men's match, with interruptions ...

each year. Oxford won in 1848, but lost in 1849. In cricket, he played 12 innings in 7 first-class matches with an average of 15.66 and a top score of 20. He took 6 catches and stumped three times. Chitty rowed in the

crew in both the

Boat Race Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

s that were run in 1849, the March race and the December race, each university winning once. He rowed in the Oxford University

eight 8 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 8 or eight may also refer to: Years * AD 8, the eighth year of the AD era * 8 BC, the eighth year before the AD era Art *The Eight (Ashcan School), a group of twentieth century painters associated with the As ...

that won the

Grand Challenge Cup The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and best-known event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing cl ...

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 1850 when there was no Boat Race on the

Tideway The Tideway is a part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London. Tidal activity Depending on ...

. He also rowed in the Oxford

coxed four A coxed four, also known as a 4+, is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars and is steered by a coxswain. The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oa ...

that won the

Stewards' Challenge Cup The Stewards' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs. Two or more clubs may combine t ...

at Henley and in the same year he won the

Silver Goblets The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless pairs at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing club A rowing club ...

, the first year the

coxless pair A coxless pair is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars. The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each having one oar, one on the stroke side (rower's right h ...

event was run under that name. His partner was

James John Hornby James John Hornby CVO (18 December 1826 – 2 November 1909) was an English rower and headmaster of Eton College from 1868 to 1884. Early life Hornby was born at Winwick, the third son of Admiral Sir Phipps Hornby and his wife Sophia Maria Bu ...

and they beat

Thomas Howard Fellows Thomas Howard Fellows (October 1822 – 8 April 1878) was an English rower and an Australian politician and Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Early life in England Fellows was born at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, the son of Thomas Fel ...

and C L Vaughan in the final. He repeated his success in the Grand Challenge Cup, and in the Silver Goblets in 1851 partnering James Aitken in the latter to beat John Erskine Clarke and C L Vaughan in the final. In 1852, he stroked the winning Oxford crew in the 1852 Boat Race. In 1853 he was in the Oxford four that won Stewards again and was playing cricket for

I Zingari I Zingari (from dialectalized Italian , meaning "the Gypsies"; corresponding to standard Italian ') are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs, founded in 1845 and 1888 respectively. It is the oldest and perhaps the most famous of the 'wa ...

. For many years Chitty umpired the Boat Race. In 1873 Chitty responded to Dr J Morgan, who was investigating the health effects of rowing.

"In answer to your questions, I may state that during my residence at Oxford I rowed in the University Eight against Cambridge three times at Putney, and once at Henley. I also rowed in the University Four, and in Pair-Oar Races at Oxford, Henley and the Thames Regatta. My own personal experience extends over a period of about five years, during a great part of which I was rowing in races. I am not aware that I have in any way suffered in health, either from the training or the rowing; on the contrary, my belief is that I derived from them great benefit physically."

Legal and political career

Chitty entered

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...

in 1851, was called to the bar in 1856, and made a

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of ...

in 1874, electing to practise as such in the court of Sir George Jessel,

Master of the Rolls The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the President of the Court of Appeal (England and Wales)#Civil Division, Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales a ...

. In 1880, he entered the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

as member for the city of Oxford. His parliamentary career was short, for in 1881 the

Judicature Act Judicature Act is a term which was used in the United Kingdom for legislation which related to the Supreme Court of Judicature. List United Kingdom :The Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 (36 & 37 Vict. c.66) :The Supreme Court of Judicature Ac ...

required that the Master of the Rolls should cease to sit regularly as a judge of first instance, and Chitty was selected to fill the vacancy thus created in the

Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

. Sir Joseph Chitty was for sixteen years a popular judge, in the best meaning of the phrase, being noted for his courtesy, geniality, patience and scrupulous fairness, as well as for his legal attainments, and being much respected and liked by those practising before him, in spite of a habit of interrupting counsel, possibly acquired through the example of Sir George Jessel. In 1897, upon the retirement of Sir Edward Kay, L.J., he was promoted to the

Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

. There he added to his reputation as a lawyer and a judge, proving that he possessed considerable knowledge of the common law as well as of

equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...

Personal life

In 1858, he married Clara Jessie, daughter of Chief

Baron Pollock Sir Charles Edward Pollock, serjeant-at-law, SL (31 October 1823 – 21 November 1897) was an England, English judge, one of the last Baron of the Court of the Exchequer, Barons of the Court of the Exchequer and Serjeant-at-law, serjeants-at-law ...

, leaving children who could claim descent from two of the best-known English legal families of the 19th century. Grandchildren included

Letitia Chitty Letitia Chitty (15 July 1897 – 29 September 1982) was an English engineer who became a respected structural analytical engineer, achieving several firsts for women engineers, including becoming the first female fellow of the Royal Aeronautica ...

(1897 – 1982) a structural analytical engineer who became the first female fellow of the

Royal Aeronautical Society The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a British multi-disciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community. Founded in 1866, it is the oldest aeronautical society in the world. Members, Fellows ...

Cases

*''

Sumpter v Hedges ''Sumpter v Hedges'' 8981 QB 673 is an English contract law case, concerning substantial performance of a contract and restitution for unjust enrichment. Facts Mr Sumpter was a builder. He had a contract to build two houses and stables for Mr H ...

'' *''

Cann v Willson ''Cann v Willson'' (1888) 39 Ch D 39, is an English tort law case, concerning negligent valuation. Facts A valuer instructed by a mortgagor sent his report to the mortgagee who made an advance in reliance on the valuation. Judgment The value ...

'' (1888) 39 Ch D 39

Notes

References

* * * The Rowers of Vanity Fair – J W Chitty

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chitty, Joseph 1828 births 1899 deaths Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Lord Justices of Appeal Chancery Division judges Fellows of Exeter College, Oxford Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies People educated at Eton College English cricketers Oxford University cricketers English male rowers UK MPs 1880–1885 Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Gentlemen of England cricketers Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricketers Knights Bachelor Chitty family