James Bacon (judge)
Encyclopedia
Sir James Bacon was a British bankruptcy judge and a Vice-Chancellor of the Court of Chancery
, and a member of the Privy Council
.
He was born in London but his father had come there from Holt
, Norfolk
, to work as an attorney's clerk in Clerkenwell
, and Bacon received part of his early education in Holt. He left school at twelve and worked for some years in the same attorney's firm, Rhodes and Cook.
In 1822 he joined Gray's Inn
and was called to the bar in 1827. As an impecunious young barrister he engaged in much literary work, such as translations from the French (including the first translation of Victor Hugo
) and a pseudonymous “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Lord Byron” which breached copyright outrageously. John Murray
decided not to sue because copyright in works of doubtful moral character had become precarious following the case of William Lawrence
. This work was illustrated by George Cruikshank
and Bacon knew him and many literary and artistic personalities.
He joined Lincoln's Inn
in 1833 and became a bencher in 1846 soon after becoming a QC
. In 1859 he became under-secretary to the Master of the Rolls
.
He became Chief Judge in Bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Act 1869, and held this post until the act was repealed in 1883 and jurisdiction over bankruptcy was transferred to the Queen's Bench Division. He also became a Vice-Chancellor in 1870 and was knighted and appointed to the Privy Council the following year; the post was abolished by the Court of Judicature Act of 1875
but he retained the title until he retired in 1886 at the age of 88. He had become a celebrated figure for his caustic wit and activity to a great age.
He married his wife Laura Cook, daughter of the attorney he and his father worked for, in 1827. He had four sons, two of whom predeceased him, and one daughter. His granddaughter Arabella Susan Lawrence was one of the first Labour Party
female MP
s.
Court of Chancery
The Court of Chancery was a court of equity in England and Wales that followed a set of loose rules to avoid the slow pace of change and possible harshness of the common law. The Chancery had jurisdiction over all matters of equity, including trusts, land law, the administration of the estates of...
, and a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
.
He was born in London but his father had come there from Holt
Holt
- Natural world :* Holt, an otter den* Holt, an occasional name for a fox den* Holt, an area of woodland, e.g. a grove or copse, especially as a place-name in Great Britain, Scandinavia, Iceland, and Germany...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, to work as an attorney's clerk in Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
, and Bacon received part of his early education in Holt. He left school at twelve and worked for some years in the same attorney's firm, Rhodes and Cook.
In 1822 he joined Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
and was called to the bar in 1827. As an impecunious young barrister he engaged in much literary work, such as translations from the French (including the first translation of Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
) and a pseudonymous “Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Lord Byron” which breached copyright outrageously. John Murray
John Murray
-Arts and literature:* John Murray , founder of John Murray * John Murray , second head of the publishing house* John Murray , American actor...
decided not to sue because copyright in works of doubtful moral character had become precarious following the case of William Lawrence
Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet
Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet FRCS FRS was an English surgeon who became President of the Royal College of Surgeons of London and Serjeant Surgeon to the Queen....
. This work was illustrated by George Cruikshank
George Cruikshank
George Cruikshank was a British caricaturist and book illustrator, praised as the "modern Hogarth" during his life. His book illustrations for his friend Charles Dickens, and many other authors, reached an international audience.-Early life:Cruikshank was born in London...
and Bacon knew him and many literary and artistic personalities.
He joined 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 1833 and became a bencher in 1846 soon after becoming a QC
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...
. In 1859 he became under-secretary to the Master of the Rolls
Master of the Rolls
The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the second most senior judge in England and Wales, after the Lord Chief Justice. The Master of the Rolls is the presiding officer of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal...
.
He became Chief Judge in Bankruptcy under the Bankruptcy Act 1869, and held this post until the act was repealed in 1883 and jurisdiction over bankruptcy was transferred to the Queen's Bench Division. He also became a Vice-Chancellor in 1870 and was knighted and appointed to the Privy Council the following year; the post was abolished by the Court of Judicature Act of 1875
Judicature Acts
The Judicature Acts are a series of Acts of Parliament, beginning in the 1870s, which aimed to fuse the hitherto split system of courts in England and Wales. The first two Acts were the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 and the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1875 The Judicature Acts are a...
but he retained the title until he retired in 1886 at the age of 88. He had become a celebrated figure for his caustic wit and activity to a great age.
He married his wife Laura Cook, daughter of the attorney he and his father worked for, in 1827. He had four sons, two of whom predeceased him, and one daughter. His granddaughter Arabella Susan Lawrence was one of the first Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
female MP
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,...
s.