William Snowdon Robson, Baron Robson, (10 September 1852 – 11 September 1918) was an English lawyer, judge and Liberal politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, 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 ...

twice between 1885 and 1910.

Background and early life

Robson was born in

Newcastle-upon-Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

, the son of Robert Robson merchant of Newcastle-on-Tyne and his wife Emily Jane Snowden, daughter of William Snowden of Newcastle-on-Tyne.Debretts House of Commons and the Judicial Bench 1886
/ref> He was educated at Newcastle and at

Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Gonville and Caius College, commonly known as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348 by Edmund Gonville, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and ...

. He was called to the bar by the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

in 1880 and became a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1892.

Political career

At the 1885 general election Robson was elected Member of Parliament for Bow and Bromley and held the seat until 1886. At the 1895 general election he was elected MP for

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England; it is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. The town was once known in Roman Britain, Roman times as ''Arbeia'' and as ''Caer Urfa'' by the Early Middle Ag ...

and held the seat until 1910.

Government

He was the

Solicitor General A solicitor general is a government official who serves as the chief representative of the government in courtroom proceedings. In systems based on the English common law that have an attorney general or equivalent position, the solicitor general ...

from 1905 to 1908. Upon his appointment, he was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

the same year. In 1908, he was promoted to be the

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

from 1908 to 1910. On 19 July 1910, he was sworn of the Privy Council.

Peerage

On 12 October 1910, Robson was made a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary and a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. Life peers are appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister. With the exception of the D ...

with the title Baron Robson, of Jesmond in the County of

Northumberland Northumberland ( ) is a ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North East England, on the Anglo-Scottish border, border with Scotland. It is bordered by the North Sea to the east, Tyne and Wear and County Durham to the south, Cumb ...

. He was appointed to the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...

as a Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) in the 1911 New Year Honours for "services in connection with the North Atlantic Coast Fisheries Arbitration". He resigned as Lord of Appeal two years later.

Family

Robson married Catharine Burge, daughter of Charles Burge, of Portland Place, London on 26 May 1887. They had a family. Robson died, aged 66, at Telham Court, Battle,

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

Arms

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Robson, William 1852 births 1918 deaths Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1885–1886 UK MPs 1895–1900 UK MPs 1900–1906 UK MPs 1906–1910 UK MPs 1910 UK MPs who were granted peerages English King's Counsel 20th-century King's Counsel Solicitors general for England and Wales Attorneys general for England and Wales Knights Bachelor Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Law lords Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge Members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Life peers created by George V