Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell, (2 November 1837 – 1 March 1899), was
Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. The ...
in 1886, and again from 1892 to 1895.
Life
Childhood and education
Herschell was born on 2 November 1837 in Brampton,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...
.
His parents were Helen Skirving Mowbray and the Rev.
Ridley Haim Herschell
Ridley Haim Herschell (7 April 1807 – 14 April 1864) was a Polish-born British minister who converted from Judaism to evangelical Christianity. He was a founder of the British Society for the Propagation of the Gospel Among the Jews (1842) and ...
, who was a native of
Strzelno
Strzelno (german: Strelno) is a town in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. The town is located south of Inowrocław. According to the June 2005 Census, the population numbered 22,486. It is located in the historic region of Kuyavia.
...
, in
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...
n
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...
. When Ridley was a young man, he
converted from
Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
to Christianity and took a leading part in founding the
. He eventually settled down to the charge of a
Nonconformist chapel near the
Edgware Road
Edgware Road is a major road in London, England. The route originated as part of Roman Watling Street and, unusually in London, it runs for 10 miles in an almost perfectly straight line. Forming part of the modern A5 road, Edgware Road undergoes ...
, in London, where he ministered to a large congregation.
Farrer was educated at a grammar school in
South London and attended lectures at the
University of Bonn
The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine ...
as a teenager, where his family lived for six months in 1852.
In 1857 he took his BA degree with honours in Greek and mathematics at
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
,
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
, receiving prizes in logic and political economy.
He was regarded as the best speaker at the
University College London Union
Students' Union UCL (formerly University College London Union) is the students' union of University College London. Founded in 1893, it is one of the oldest students' unions in England, although postdating the Liverpool Guild of Students which ...
Debating Society and was editor of a ''University Review'' along with R.D. Littler.
He later served as an examiner in common law for the University of London from 1872 to 1876.
Early career
Herschell's reputation persisted after he became a law student at
Lincoln's Inn. On 12 January 1858 he entered the chambers of
Thomas Chitty, the famous
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 ...
.
His fellow
pupil
The pupil is a black hole located in the center of the Iris (anatomy), iris of the Human eye, eye that allows light to strike the retina.Cassin, B. and Solomon, S. (1990) ''Dictionary of Eye Terminology''. Gainesville, Florida: Triad Publishing ...
s included
Archibald Levin Smith
Sir Archibald Levin Smith (26 August 1836 – 20 October 1901) was a British judge and a rower who competed at Henley and in the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race.
Biography
Smith was the son of Francis Smith, J.P. of Salt Hill, Chiches ...
, subsequently
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 Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and Head of Civil Justice. As a judge, the Master of ...
, and
Arthur Charles who became a judge of the
Queen's Bench.
He subsequently read with
James Hannen
James Hannen, Baron Hannen, PC, FRS (19 March 1821 – 29 March 1894) was an English barrister and judge.
Biography
Son of a London merchant, he was born at Peckham. He was educated at St Paul's School and at Heidelberg University, which ...
, who went on to become Lord Hannen. His fellow pupils gave him the ''sobriquet'' "Chief Baron" because of his air of superiority.
On 17 November 1860 he was
called to the bar and joined the
Northern Circuit
{{Use dmy dates, date=November 2019
The Northern Circuit is a court circuit in England. It dates from 1176 when Henry II sent his judges on circuit to do justice in his name. The Circuit encompassed the whole of the North of England but in 1876 i ...
.
For four or five years he did not obtain much work, although he was financially secure. He spoke to
Charles Russell and
William Court Gully about the possibility of leaving England and instead working for the British Consular Courts in China.
However, Herschell soon made himself useful to
Edward James
Edward Frank Willis James (16 August 1907 – 2 December 1984) was a British poet known for his patronage of the surrealist art movement.
Early life and marriage
James was born on 16 August 1907, the only son of William James (who had inherite ...
, the then leader of the Northern Circuit, and to
John Richard Quain, the leading
stuffgownsman
A junior barrister is a barrister who has not yet attained the rank of King's Counsel. Although the term is archaic and not commonly used, junior barristers (or "juniors") can also be referred to as utter barristers derived from "outer barristers ...
. For the latter he noted briefs and drafted
legal opinions. When, in 1866, Quain
took silk
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or a ...
, Herschell inherited much of his junior practice.
In 1872, Herschell
took silk
In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or a ...
and the following year, he became
Recorder
Recorder or The Recorder may refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper
* ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
* ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...
of
Carlisle.
Member of Parliament
By 1874, his business had become so good that he turned his thoughts to politics and election to
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
. In February of that year there was a
general election, with the result that the
Conservative Party came into power with a parliamentary majority of fifty. The two
Radicals,
Thomas Charles Thompson and
John Henderson who had been returned for
City of Durham were unseated, and an attack was then made on the seats of two other Radicals,
Isaac Lowthian Bell and
Charles Mark Palmer
Sir Charles Mark Palmer, 1st Baronet (3 November 1822 – 4 June 1907) was an English shipbuilder born in South Shields, County Durham, England. He was also a Liberal Party politician and Member of Parliament. His father, originally the captain ...
who had been returned for
North Durham
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
. Herschell was briefed for one of the latter. He made such an impression on the local Radical leaders that they asked him to stand for City of Durham. After two weeks'
electioneering, he was elected as junior member.
Between 1874 and 1880, Herschell was assiduous in his attendance of 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. T ...
. He was not a frequent speaker, but his few efforts garnered him a favourable reputation as a debater. On one occasion, he carried a resolution in favour of abolishing actions for
breach of promise of marriage
Breach of promise is a common law tort, abolished in many jurisdictions. It was also called breach of contract to marry,N.Y. Civil Rights Act article 8, §§ 80-A to 84. and the remedy awarded was known as heart balm.
From at least the Middle ...
except when actual pecuniary loss had ensued, the
damages
At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...
in such cases to be measured by the amount of such loss.
He also prominently opposed the Fugitive Slave Circular. In 1878, he also pointed out the unconstitutionality of
Lord Hartington's proposal to censure the government for bringing Indian troops to Malta.
He was noticed by Prime Minister
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
, who in 1880 appointed Herschell
Solicitor General.
Solicitor General
Herschell was
knighted on 13 May 1880,
within weeks of his appointment as
Solicitor General, a position he was to hold until 1885. During this time, he turned down positions as a
Lord of Appeal and
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 Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and Head of Civil Justice. As a judge, the Master of ...
.
As Solicitor General, he drafted multiple bills, most notably the
Irish Land Act 1881, the
Corrupt Practices Act 1883, the
Bankruptcy Act 1883
Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor ...
, the
County Franchise Act 1884. He also assisted
Sir Mackenzie Chalmers
Sir Mackenzie Dalzell Edwin Stewart Chalmers (7 February 1847 – 22 December 1927) was a British judge and civil servant. He was Parliamentary Counsel to the Treasury, a judge of the county courts and a Law Member of the Viceroy's Council in In ...
with the drafting of the
Bills of Exchange Act 1882
The Bills of Exchange Act 1882 is a United Kingdom Act of Parliament concerning bills of exchange. The Act was drafted by Sir Mackenzie Chalmers, who later drafted the Sale of Goods Act 1893 and the Marine Insurance Act 1906.
Bills of exchange ...
.
He also drafted the
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict., c. 23) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equal ...
which halved the representation of Durham City, thus requiring him to quit his seat.
Betting on the local support of the
Cavendish family
The Cavendish (or de Cavendish) family ( ) is a British noble family, of Anglo-Norman origins (though with an Anglo-Saxon name, originally from a place-name in Suffolk). They rose to their highest prominence as Duke of Devonshire and Duke of Newc ...
, he contested the
North Lonsdale
The Lonsdale Hundred is an historic hundred of Lancashire, England. Although named after the dale or valley of the River Lune, which runs through the city of Lancaster, for centuries it covered most of the north-western part of Lancashire aro ...
division of
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancash ...
, but in spite of the powerful influence of
Lord Hartington, he was badly beaten at the poll. Gladstone, however, again obtained a majority in Parliament. Herschell felt the Solicitor General's post slipping away from him, and along with it all prospects of promotion.
Lord Selborne
Earl of Selborne, in the County of Southampton, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1882 for the lawyer and Liberal politician Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne, along with the subsidiary title of Viscount Wo ...
and
Sir Henry James, however, successively declined Gladstone's offer of the
Woolsack
The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Speaker in the House of Lords, the Upper House of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Before 2006, it was the seat of the Lord Chancellor.
History
In the 14th century King Edward III (1327–1377) said th ...
, and Herschell suddenly found himself
Lord Chancellor
The lord chancellor, formally the lord high chancellor of Great Britain, is the highest-ranking traditional minister among the Great Officers of State in Scotland and England in the United Kingdom, nominally outranking the prime minister. Th ...
.
Lord Chancellor
He became Baron Herschell of the city of Durham on 8 February 1886.
However, his first chancellorship lasted barely six months, because in June 1886 Gladstone's
Home Rule Bill
The Irish Home Rule movement was a movement that campaigned for self-government (or "home rule") for Ireland within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It was the dominant political movement of Irish nationalism from 1870 to the e ...
was rejected in the Commons and his administration fell.
In August 1892, when Gladstone returned to power, Herschell again became Lord Chancellor. As a result, he was sworn of the
Privy Council that year. In May 1893, he was appointed to the
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...
as a Knight Grand Cross (GCB). In September 1893, when the second Home Rule BiIl came on for
second reading
A reading of a bill is a stage of debate on the bill held by a general body of a legislature.
In the Westminster system, developed in the United Kingdom, there are generally three readings of a bill as it passes through the stages of becoming ...
in the
House of Lords
The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...
, Herschell took advantage of the opportunity to justify his own 1885 sudden conversion to
Home Rule
Home rule is government of a colony, dependent country, or region by its own citizens. It is thus the power of a part (administrative division) of a state or an external dependent country to exercise such of the state's powers of governance wit ...
, and that of his colleagues, by comparing it to the
Duke of Wellington's conversion to
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, and later the combined United Kingdom in the late 18th century and early 19th century, that involved reducing and removing many of the restricti ...
in 1829 and to that of
Sir Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850) was a British Conservative statesman who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835 and 1841–1846) simultaneously serving as Chancellor of the Exchequer ...
to
Free Trade
Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econ ...
in 1846. In 1895, however, his second chancellorship came to an end with the defeat of the
Rosebery ministry.
He was perhaps seen at his judicial best in ''Vagliano v. Bank of England'' (1891) and ''
Allen v. Flood'' (1898). Latterly he showed a tendency to interrupt counsel overmuch. The latter case is an example of this. The question involved was what constituted a "molestation of a man in the pursuit of his lawful calling". At the close of the argument of counsel, whom he had frequently interrupted, one of
their lordships observed that although there might be a doubt as to what amounted to such molestation in point of law, the House could well understand, after that day's proceedings, what it was in actual practice.
Other public service
In addition to his political and judicial work, Herschell rendered many public services. He became a
Deputy Lieutenant of the
County Palatine of Durham in 1885 and of the
County of Kent
Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces the ...
in 1890. In 1888 he presided over an
inquiry directed by the House of Commons, with regard to the
Metropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works (MBW) was the principal instrument of local government in a wide area of Middlesex, Surrey, and Kent, defined by the Metropolis Management Act 1855, from December 1855 until the establishment of the London Cou ...
. He acted as chairman of two
royal commissions, one on
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n currency, the other on
vaccination
Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating ...
. In 1890, he was appointed
Captain of Deal Castle
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
and
Warden of the Cinque Ports
The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the Cinqu ...
. He took a great interest in the
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a British child protection charity.
History
Victorian era
On a trip to New York in 1881, Liverpudlian businessman Thomas Agnew was inspired by a visit to the New Yor ...
, not only promoting the acts of 1889 and 1894, but also in sifting the truth of allegations which had been brought against the management of that society.
He was elected a
Fellow of the Royal Society
Fellowship of the Royal Society (FRS, ForMemRS and HonFRS) is an award granted by the judges of the Royal Society of London to individuals who have made a "substantial contribution to the improvement of natural knowledge, including mathemat ...
in January 1892.
In June 1893 he was appointed
chancellor of the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
succeeding the
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the en ...
. His views of reform, according to
Victor Dickins, the accomplished
registrar
A registrar is an official keeper of records made in a register. The term may refer to:
Education
* Registrar (education), an official in an academic institution who handles student records
* Registrar of the University of Oxford, one of the se ...
of the University, were liberal and frankly stated, though at first they were not altogether popular. He disarmed opposition by his intellectual power, rather than conciliated it by compromise, and sometimes was perhaps a little forceful in his approach various matters of controversy.
His characteristic power of detachment was well illustrated by his treatment of the proposal to remove the university to the site of the
Imperial Institute
The Commonwealth Education Trust is a registered charity established in 2007 as the successor trust to the Commonwealth Institute. The trust focuses on primary and secondary education and the training of teachers and invests on educational pro ...
at
South Kensington
South Kensington, nicknamed Little Paris, is a district just west of Central London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Historically it settled on part of the scattered Middlesex village of Brompton. Its name was supplanted with ...
. Although he was then chairman of the Institute, the most irreconcilable opponent of the removal never questioned his absolute impartiality. Herschell had been officially connected with the Imperial Institute from its inception. He was chairman of the provisional committee appointed by
Edward Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
to formulate a scheme for its organisation, and he took an active part in the preparation of its
royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but s ...
and constitution in conjunction with
Lord Thring,
Lord James,
Sir Frederick Abel and
Sir John Hollams. He was the first chairman of its council, and, except during his tour in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in 1888, when he brought the Institute to the notice of the Indian authorities, he was hardly absent from a single meeting. For his special services in this connection he received the
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved Bathing#Medieval ...
in 1893,
this being the only instance of a Lord Chancellor being decorated with an order. In 1893 he became, at its foundation, president of the
Society of Comparative Legislation
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. Socie ...
.
In 1897 he was appointed, jointly with
Lord Justice Collins, to represent Great Britain on the
Venezuela Boundary Commission
The Venezuelan crisis of 1895 occurred over Venezuela's longstanding dispute with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland about the territory of Essequibo and Guayana Esequiba, which Britain claimed as part of British Guiana and Venezuela ...
, which met in Paris in the spring of 1899. Such a complicated business involved a careful study of
map
A map is a symbolic depiction emphasizing relationships between elements of some space, such as objects, regions, or themes.
Many maps are static, fixed to paper or some other durable medium, while others are dynamic or interactive. Although ...
s and historic documents. Not content with this, he accepted in 1898 a seat on the Anglo-American Arbitration Commission
appointed to adjudicate in the
Alaska boundary dispute
The Alaska boundary dispute was a territorial dispute between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, which then controlled Canada's foreign relations. It was resolved by arbitration in 1903. The dispute had existed ...
and to adjust boundaries and other important questions pending between Great Britain and Canada on the one hand and the United States on the other hand. He started for the US in July of that year, and was received cordially at Washington D.C.. His fellow commissioners elected him their president.
Death
In February 1899, while the commission was in full swing, Herchell slipped in the street and fractured his
pelvis. His constitution, which at one time was a robust one, had been undermined by constant hard work, and proved unequal to sustaining the shock. On 1 March, only two weeks after the accident, he died at the
Shoreham Hotel
The Omni Shoreham Hotel is a historic resort and convention hotel in Northwest Washington, D.C., built in 1930 and owned by Omni Hotels. It is located one block west of the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and Calvert Street. The hotel is known ...
, Washington, a
post-mortem examination
An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any dis ...
revealing
heart disease.
John Hay,
United States Secretary of State
The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...
, at once
telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...
ed to
Joseph Hodges Choate
Joseph Hodges Choate (January 24, 1832 – May 14, 1917) was an American lawyer and diplomat. Choate was associated with many of the most famous litigations in American legal history, including the Kansas prohibition cases, the Chinese exclusi ...
, the
United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom
The United States ambassador to the United Kingdom (known formally as the ambassador of the United States to the Court of St James's) is the official representative of the president of the United States and the American government to the monarc ...
, the deep sorrow felt by President
William McKinley
William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...
. Sir
Wilfrid Laurier
Sir Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier, ( ; ; November 20, 1841 – February 17, 1919) was a Canadian lawyer, statesman, and politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911. The first French Canadian prime minis ...
said the next day, in the parliament chamber at
Ottawa, that he regarded Herschell's death as a misfortune to Canada and to the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
.
A funeral service held in
St John's Episcopal Church, Washington, was attended by the president and vice-president of the United States, by the cabinet ministers, the judges of the Supreme Court, the members of the joint high commission, and a large number of senators and other representative men.
The body was brought to London in a British man-of-war,
HMS Talbot and a second funeral service was held in
Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...
, which was attended by
Lord Halsbury
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or a ...
,
Lord Kimberley,
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, (, ; 25 July 184819 March 1930), also known as Lord Balfour, was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 to 1905. As foreign secretary in the ...
and other representatives of the British, American, and Canadian governments. He was buried on 22 March 1899 at
Tincleton
Tincleton is a village and civil parish in the county of Dorset in southern England. It is situated near the River Frome, approximately east of the county town Dorchester. The name of the village comes from the Old English "Tin la Ton", or "f ...
, Dorset, in the parish church where he had been married.
Personal life
Herschell left a widow whom he had married in 1876, Agnes Adela, daughter of Edward Leigh Kindersley and granddaughter of Richard Torin Kindersley, Vice-Chancellor Richard Torin Kindersley. Lady Herschell died at Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques on 23 February 1902. They left a son, Richard Herschell, 2nd Baron Herschell, Richard Herschell (1878–1929), who succeeded as second baron, and three daughters: Helen Mowbray Herschell, Muriel Fanny Herschell, and Agnes Freda Forres.
He was a member of a number of social clubs, including the Brooks's, the Athenaeum Club, London, Athenaenum Club, the Windham Club, the Devonshire Club, and the National Liberal Club.
He also received honorary degrees from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
Arms
Judgments
*''Creen v Wright'' (1875–76) LR 1 CPD 591
*''Salomon v A Salomon & Co Ltd'' [1896] UKHL 1
*''Trevor v Whitworth'' (1887) 12 App Cas 409; the House of Lords held that Share repurchase, share buybacks were unlawful.
*''British South Africa Co v Companhia de Moçambique'' [1893] AC 602; the House of Lords overturned a Court of Appeal decision and by so doing established the ''Mozambique rule'', a common law rule in private international law that renders actions relating to title in foreign land, the right to possession of foreign land, and trespass to foreign land non-justiciable in common law jurisdictions.
*''The Arrow Shipping Company v The Tyne Improvement Commission, Tyne Improvement Commissioners'' (or ''The Crystal'') [1894] AC 509
*''Mara v Browne'' (1895)
*''McEntire v Crossley Brothers'', 13 May 1895,
[House of Lords]
McEntire and Maconchy v. Crossley Brothers Ltd.
accessed 16 November 2022 applied in a later recharacterisation case, ''Welsh Development Agency v Export Finance Co Ltd.'' (1992)
*''Provincial Fisheries Reference'' [1898] UKPC 30
References
Bibliography
*David Josiah Brewer, Brewer, D. J. (1899) ''Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation'', July
*Charles W. Fairbanks, Fairbanks, C. W. (1899) ''Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation'', July
*William Gully, 1st Viscount Selby (1899) ''Law Quarterly Review'', April
*Jacobs, J., & Lipkind, G. (1906)
Herschell, Lord Farrer, ''Jewish Encyclopedia'', vol.VI, ''p.''363
*Henry James, 1st Baron James of Hereford, James, H. (1899) ''Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation'', July
*Williamson, V. (1899) ''Journal of the Society of Comparative Legislation'', July
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Herschell, Farrer Herschell, 1st Baron
1837 births
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