James William Colvile
Encyclopedia
Sir James William Colvile (12 January 1810 – 6 December 1880) was a British legal civil servant in India.
He was born the eldest son of Alexander Wedderburn Colvile of Ochiltree and Crombie, Fife and educated at Eton College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduated MA in 1834. He trained as a barrister and was called to the bar in 1835.
He practised at Lincoln's Inn
for ten years before being appointed Advocate General to the East India Company
in 1845. He went to Calcutta and was appointed Puisne Judge to the Supreme Court of Bengal in 1848 and Chief Justice of the Court of Calcutta
in 1855. He was knighted in 1848.
he the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta
. He served in this office for two years, from January 24, 1857 to January 24, 1859. He was president of The Asiatic Society
He retired and returned to England in 1859. He was made a Privy Councillor and Assessor to the Judicial Committee of the Council of India appeals. In April, 1875 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society.
He died in London of heart failure in 1880.
He was born the eldest son of Alexander Wedderburn Colvile of Ochiltree and Crombie, Fife and educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and 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...
, where he graduated MA in 1834. He trained as a barrister and was called to the bar in 1835.
He practised 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...
for ten years before being appointed Advocate General to the East India Company
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...
in 1845. He went to Calcutta and was appointed Puisne Judge to the Supreme Court of Bengal in 1848 and Chief Justice of the Court of Calcutta
Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. It was established as the High Court of Judicature at Fort William on 1 July 1862 under the High Courts Act, 1861. It has jurisdiction over the state of West Bengal and the Union Territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The High Court...
in 1855. He was knighted in 1848.
he the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Calcutta
University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
. He served in this office for two years, from January 24, 1857 to January 24, 1859. He was president of The Asiatic Society
He retired and returned to England in 1859. He was made a Privy Councillor and Assessor to the Judicial Committee of the Council of India appeals. In April, 1875 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society.
He died in London of heart failure in 1880.