Henry Ray Freshfield
Encyclopedia
Henry Ray Freshfield was an English lawyer
and conservationist.
Freshfield was the fourth and youngest son of James William Freshfield
and his wife Mary Blacket and was born at Lothbury
. His father was a lawyer who established the firm of Freshfields. The family moved to Abney House
near Stoke Newington
and Henry Freshfield was educated at Charterhouse School
from 1824 to 1829. He became a solicitor
with the family firm in 1838. He lived at Hampstead, where he participated in a long and successful struggle to rescue Hampstead Heath
from landlords and builders. Freshfield was Solicitor to the Bank of England
from 1857 to 1877 succeeding his brother Charles Freshfield
and became very prosperous. In 1874 he acquired Kidbrooke Park East Grinstead
, an 18th Century house with 200 acre (0.809372 km²). He took an active part in local affairs and was JP
for Sussex
and presented the village of Forest Row
with its village hall. He was High Sheriff for the County in 1885. As at Hampstead, he was interested in the preservation of open spaces for the people, and was closely involved in the proceedings which led to Ashdown Forest
being placed in the hands of Conservators charged with preserving the rights of commoners and the public.
Freshfield married Jane Quinton Crawford on the 1st October 1840. She was the daughter of William Crawford
MP for the City of London (1822-1841), who had made a fortune in the British East India Company
. She was an authoress and her publications included "Alpine Byways" and "A Tour of the Grisons". Their son Douglas William Freshfield
became a mountaineer and travel writer.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and conservationist.
Freshfield was the fourth and youngest son of James William Freshfield
James William Freshfield
James William Freshfield was an English lawyer and founder of the international law firm of Freshfields. He was also a Conservative politician and Member of Parliament, representing the seats of Penryn and Boston.-Early life:...
and his wife Mary Blacket and was born at Lothbury
Lothbury
Lothbury is a street in the City of London. It runs east-west, between Gresham Street to the west and Throgmorton Street to the east. The area was populated with coppersmiths in the Middle Ages before later becoming home to a number of merchants and bankers. The Bank of England is on the southern...
. His father was a lawyer who established the firm of Freshfields. The family moved to Abney House
Abney Park
The historic grounds of Abney Park are situated in Stoke Newington, London, England. It is a 13ha park dating from just before 1700, named after Lady Mary Abney and associated with Dr Isaac Watts. In the early 18th century, the park was accessed via the frontages and gardens of two large mansions...
near Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
and Henry Freshfield was educated at Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
from 1824 to 1829. He became a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
with the family firm in 1838. He lived at Hampstead, where he participated in a long and successful struggle to rescue Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
from landlords and builders. Freshfield was Solicitor to the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
from 1857 to 1877 succeeding his brother Charles Freshfield
Charles Freshfield
Charles Kaye Freshfield was a 19th century lawyer and Conservative Party Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons....
and became very prosperous. In 1874 he acquired Kidbrooke Park East Grinstead
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, an 18th Century house with 200 acre (0.809372 km²). He took an active part in local affairs and was JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and presented the village of Forest Row
Forest Row
Forest Row is a village and relatively large civil parish in the Wealden District of East Sussex, England. The village is located three miles south-east of East Grinstead.-History:...
with its village hall. He was High Sheriff for the County in 1885. As at Hampstead, he was interested in the preservation of open spaces for the people, and was closely involved in the proceedings which led to Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest
Ashdown Forest is an ancient area of tranquil open heathland occupying the highest sandy ridge-top of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is situated some south of London in the county of East Sussex, England...
being placed in the hands of Conservators charged with preserving the rights of commoners and the public.
Freshfield married Jane Quinton Crawford on the 1st October 1840. She was the daughter of William Crawford
William Crawford (London MP)
Wiliam Crawford was a British Liberal Party politician who represented the City of London in the 19th century.Crawford was born in London the son of Andrew Crawford, formerly of Dunfermline, and his wife Mary Spink. He spent his early life with the Honourable East India Company and made a fortune...
MP for the City of London (1822-1841), who had made a fortune in the British East India Company
British East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. She was an authoress and her publications included "Alpine Byways" and "A Tour of the Grisons". Their son Douglas William Freshfield
Douglas Freshfield
Douglas William Freshfield was a British lawyer, mountaineer and author, who edited the Alpine Journal from 1872 to 1880...
became a mountaineer and travel writer.