Eardley Norton
Encyclopedia
John Eardley Norton was a Madras barrister
, judge
and politician
of British
origin. He was also one of the founders of the Indian National Congress
and a participant in the Indian independence movement
.
who later served as the Advocate-General of Madras. He received his education in England. He matriculated on October 15, 1870 at the age of 18 and graduated in arts from Merton College, Oxford. He studied law at Lincoln's Inn and was called to bar in 1876. In 1879, he set sail to India to practice in the Madras High Court
.
In 1897, a furor was raised over the appointment of a lawyer V. Bhashyam Aiyangar as Advocate-General of the Presidency. Norton suggested that it was better to seek the opinion of the Bombay Bar over it and his suggestion was implemented.
Norton was a close friend of G. Subramania Iyer
, who founded The Hindu
. He wrote a column in The Hindu called "Olla Podrida" under the pseudonym Sentinel. This column ran from May 1889 to December 1889. Norton started the Indian Aluminium Company for the manufacture of utensils in 1900.
and the sheriff
of Madras, S. Ramaswami Mudaliar
. As an outcome of the Madras session, Norton was appointed member of the committee which drafted the constitution of the Indian National Congress. Norton declared that British Parliament had become indifferent to the sufferings of Indians and expressed shame at the fact that Britain had not fulfilled its promises to India. Norton also participated in the tenth session of the Indian National Congress held in Madras in 1894 and the Mysore session of the Indian National Congress held in 1903.
Norton was instrumental in enlisting the support of Charles Bradlaugh
, Member of British Parliament for Northampton for the creation of an UK chapter of the Indian National Congress. Accordingly, the UK-wing came into existence in July 1889 under the leadership of Bradlaugh who was accorded the title "Member for India". Norton was also part of the Congress' first deputation to England in 1889.
by his fellow countrymen. Once he responded:
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
origin. He was also one of the founders of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
and a participant in the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
.
Early life
Eardley was born in 1852, the son of lawyer John Bruce NortonJohn Bruce Norton
John Bruce Norton was a British lawyer and educationist who served as the Advocate-General of Madras Presidency. He was the father of lawyer and Indian independence activist Eardley Norton.- Early life :...
who later served as the Advocate-General of Madras. He received his education in England. He matriculated on October 15, 1870 at the age of 18 and graduated in arts from Merton College, Oxford. He studied law at Lincoln's Inn and was called to bar in 1876. In 1879, he set sail to India to practice in the Madras High Court
Madras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
.
Practice in Madras
Eardley Norton practised as a lawyer in Madras from 1879 to 1907. Norton was elected to the Imperial Legislative Council (India) in 1894 but had to resign within a month due to an adultery suit against him.In 1897, a furor was raised over the appointment of a lawyer V. Bhashyam Aiyangar as Advocate-General of the Presidency. Norton suggested that it was better to seek the opinion of the Bombay Bar over it and his suggestion was implemented.
Norton was a close friend of G. Subramania Iyer
G. Subramania Iyer
Ganapathy Dikshitar Subramania Iyer was a leading Indian journalist, social reformer and freedom fighter who founded 'The Hindu' newspaper on September 20, 1878...
, who founded The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
. He wrote a column in The Hindu called "Olla Podrida" under the pseudonym Sentinel. This column ran from May 1889 to December 1889. Norton started the Indian Aluminium Company for the manufacture of utensils in 1900.
Indian National Congress
Norton was associated with the Indian National Congress right from its early stages. He participated in the 1887 session at Madras in the course of which, he made a much acclaimed speech defending his support for Indian nationalists and association with the Congress. He also organised a magnificent reception for the visiting dignitaries along with the Governor Lord ConnemaraRobert Bourke, 1st Baron Connemara
Robert Bourke, 1st Baron Connemara GCIE, PC was a British Conservative politician and colonial administrator...
and the sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Madras, S. Ramaswami Mudaliar
S. Ramaswami Mudaliar
Rao Bahadur Raja Sir Savalai Ramaswami Mudaliar CIE Kt was an Indian merchant, dubash, politician and philanthropist who was known for his wealth. He was also one of the early leaders of the Indian National Congress.- Early life :...
. As an outcome of the Madras session, Norton was appointed member of the committee which drafted the constitution of the Indian National Congress. Norton declared that British Parliament had become indifferent to the sufferings of Indians and expressed shame at the fact that Britain had not fulfilled its promises to India. Norton also participated in the tenth session of the Indian National Congress held in Madras in 1894 and the Mysore session of the Indian National Congress held in 1903.
Norton was instrumental in enlisting the support of Charles Bradlaugh
Charles Bradlaugh
Charles Bradlaugh was a political activist and one of the most famous English atheists of the 19th century. He founded the National Secular Society in 1866.-Early life:...
, Member of British Parliament for Northampton for the creation of an UK chapter of the Indian National Congress. Accordingly, the UK-wing came into existence in July 1889 under the leadership of Bradlaugh who was accorded the title "Member for India". Norton was also part of the Congress' first deputation to England in 1889.
Legacy
Norton was frequently accused of seditionSedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
by his fellow countrymen. Once he responded: