
author
1846–1897
A brilliant courtroom advocate with a gift for wit, he rose from Yorkshire roots to become one of the best-known Liberal lawyers and politicians of late Victorian Britain.

by Sir Frank Lockwood
Born in Doncaster in 1846, he built a remarkable career at the bar and became widely admired for his lively speaking style, sharp humor, and legal skill. He studied at Caius College, Cambridge, was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn, and went on to gain a strong reputation as a successful advocate.
He served as Liberal MP for York from 1885 until his death in 1897, and for a time was Solicitor General. Contemporary accounts and later reference works alike remember him not only for his professional success but also for his charm and personality, which made him a recognizable public figure beyond Parliament and the courts.
His life was relatively short, but his name remained well known in British legal and political history, especially as an example of the eloquent, high-spirited Victorian barrister-politician.