George Denman
Encyclopedia
The Honourable George Denman PC, QC
(23 December 1819 – 21 September 1896) was an English rower
, barrister, Liberal
politician and High Court judge
.
Denman was born at 50 Russell Square, London, the fourth son of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
of Dovedale and his wife Theodosia Anne Vevers. He was educated at Repton School
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
. At Cambridge he was an energetic rower and in 1840 rowed for Trinity in the Grand Challenge Cup
at Henley Royal Regatta
. In 1841 he rowed for Cambridge
in the Boat Race. Four days before the event he was injured in a collision on the river in a training outing with his brother. He was leeched by the junior footman and recovered sufficiently that Cambridge won the race. He was also bow in the Cambridge Subscription Rooms crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup that year. In 1842, he won the Colquhoun Sculls, stroked his college boat to the head of the Cam, and rowed for Cambridge again in the Boat Race and in the Grand at Henley. In 1843 he rowed for Trinity again in the Grand in a crew down to seven oarsmen because the stroke went ill and substitutions were not permitted. Trinity lost to a full Oxford University
eight that won by two lengths. Denman became a Fellow of Trinity College and was called to the Bar
at Lincoln's Inn
in 1846. He was appointed Cambridge University counsel in 1857.
In 1856 Denman stood for parliament unsuccessfully for Cambridge University
. He was elected Member of Parliament
for Tiverton
at the 1859 UK general election and held the seat until 1865. He became a Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1861. In 1866 he was re-elected MP for Tiverton. He translated Gray's Elegy into Greek and dedicated the work in 1871 to Sir Alexander Cockburn
, the Lord Chief Justice. In 1872 he was appointed Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
and resigned his seat in the House of Commons. Denman translated Pope’s Iliad
into Latin and in 1873 dedicated it to W.E. Gladstone
, the Prime Minister. In 1875 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court
. In 1881 he provided an English translation of H. Kynaston’s Latin hexameters for the fiftieth anniversary of the Boat Race. He retired as a judge in 1892 and in 1893 was invested as a Privy Counsellor.
It was said of Denman that "He looked a model Judge. But he was never quite so good a Judge as he looked."
Denman married Charlotte Hope, daughter of Samuel Hope, on 19 February 1852. Denman's brother Joseph Denman
was an admiral.
Denman died at age 76.
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(23 December 1819 – 21 September 1896) was an English rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
, barrister, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician and High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
.
Denman was born at 50 Russell Square, London, the fourth son of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman PC KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice between 1832 and 1850.-Background and education:Denman was born in London, the son of Dr Thomas Denman...
of Dovedale and his wife Theodosia Anne Vevers. He was educated at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. At Cambridge he was an energetic rower and in 1840 rowed for Trinity in the Grand Challenge Cup
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious 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 clubs...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
. In 1841 he rowed for Cambridge
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
in the Boat Race. Four days before the event he was injured in a collision on the river in a training outing with his brother. He was leeched by the junior footman and recovered sufficiently that Cambridge won the race. He was also bow in the Cambridge Subscription Rooms crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup that year. In 1842, he won the Colquhoun Sculls, stroked his college boat to the head of the Cam, and rowed for Cambridge again in the Boat Race and in the Grand at Henley. In 1843 he rowed for Trinity again in the Grand in a crew down to seven oarsmen because the stroke went ill and substitutions were not permitted. Trinity lost to a full Oxford University
Oxford University Boat Club
The Oxford University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Oxford, England, located on the River Thames at Oxford. The club was founded in the early 19th century....
eight that won by two lengths. Denman became a Fellow of Trinity College and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of 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. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in 1846. He was appointed Cambridge University counsel in 1857.
In 1856 Denman stood for parliament unsuccessfully for Cambridge University
Cambridge University (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge University was a university constituency electing two members to the British House of Commons, from 1603 to 1950.-Boundaries, Electorate and Election Systems:...
. He was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Tiverton
Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency)
Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
at the 1859 UK general election and held the seat until 1865. He became a Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1861. In 1866 he was re-elected MP for Tiverton. He translated Gray's Elegy into Greek and dedicated the work in 1871 to Sir Alexander Cockburn
Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet
Sir Alexander James Edmund Cockburn, 12th Baronet Q.C. was a Scottish lawyer, politician and judge. A notorious womaniser and socialite, as Lord Chief Justice he heard some of the leading causes célèbres of the 19th century.-Life:Cockburn was born in Alţâna, in what is now Romania and was then...
, the Lord Chief Justice. In 1872 he was appointed Justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
and resigned his seat in the House of Commons. Denman translated Pope’s Iliad
Iliad
The Iliad is an epic poem in dactylic hexameters, traditionally attributed to Homer. Set during the Trojan War, the ten-year siege of the city of Troy by a coalition of Greek states, it tells of the battles and events during the weeks of a quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles...
into Latin and in 1873 dedicated it to W.E. Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone
William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time...
, the Prime Minister. In 1875 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
. In 1881 he provided an English translation of H. Kynaston’s Latin hexameters for the fiftieth anniversary of the Boat Race. He retired as a judge in 1892 and in 1893 was invested as a Privy Counsellor.
It was said of Denman that "He looked a model Judge. But he was never quite so good a Judge as he looked."
Denman married Charlotte Hope, daughter of Samuel Hope, on 19 February 1852. Denman's brother Joseph Denman
Joseph Denman
Rear Admiral Joseph Denman was a British naval officer, most noted for his actions against the slave trade as a commander of HMS Wanderer of the West Africa Squadron.-Early Life:...
was an admiral.
Denman died at age 76.