John Rolt
Encyclopedia
Sir John Rolt PC QC
(5 October 1804 – 6 June 1871) was an English
lawyer
, Conservative
politician
and judge
who served as Attorney General
under Lord Derby
.
of Calcutta, and Anne née Braine. He was born at Calcutta and brought to England by his mother about 1810. He was educated at dissenting
private schools at Chipping Norton and Islington
. His father died in 1813, and his mother in the following year. Around Christmas
1818, Rolt was apprenticed to a London
firm of woollendrapers. Though his hours were long, he managed, by early rising and reading as he walked, to educate himself despite the disadvantages of his early life. On the expiration of his indenture
s in 1822–1823, he found employment in a Manchester warehouse in Newgate Street
, which he exchanged in 1827 for a clerkship in a proctor's office at Doctors' Commons
. His next step was to obtain two secretary
ships. One to a school for orphans, the other to the Mill Hill School
.
, where he was called to the Bar on 9 June 1837. Confining himself to the Court of Chancery
, he rapidly acquired an extensive practice, in particular following his opinion for a large London firm in Lister v Stubbs, which also led to a friendship with Edwin Wilkins Field
. He took silk in Trinity vacation 1846. After some unsuccessful attempts to enter parliament
, he was returned for the Conservatives for West Gloucestershire on 31 March 1857, and for ten years continued to represent the same constituency. In 1862 he carried through the House of Commons the measure commonly known as Rolt's Act, by which an important step was taken towards the fusion of law and equity. In 1866 he succeeded Sir Hugh Cairns
as Attorney General
on 29 October, and was knighted on 10 November.
On 18 July 1867 he succeeded Sir George James Turner as Lord Justice of Appeal
, and on 3 August was sworn to the Privy Council. Incipient paralysis
, due to long-continued overwork, compelled his resignation in February 1868, and on 6 June 1871 he died at his estate, Ozleworth Park, Wotton-under-Edge
, Gloucestershire
. He was buried on 12 June in Ozleworth churchyard.
. He married twice:
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...
(5 October 1804 – 6 June 1871) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
lawyer
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...
, Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and 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...
who served as Attorney General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
under Lord Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
.
Early life
John was the second son of James Rolt, a merchantMerchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
of Calcutta, and Anne née Braine. He was born at Calcutta and brought to England by his mother about 1810. He was educated at dissenting
English Dissenters
English Dissenters were Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.They originally agitated for a wide reaching Protestant Reformation of the Established Church, and triumphed briefly under Oliver Cromwell....
private schools at Chipping Norton and Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
. His father died in 1813, and his mother in the following year. Around Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
1818, Rolt was apprenticed to a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
firm of woollendrapers. Though his hours were long, he managed, by early rising and reading as he walked, to educate himself despite the disadvantages of his early life. On the expiration of his indenture
Indenture
An indenture is a legal contract reflecting a debt or purchase obligation, specifically referring to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, an instrument used for commercial debt or real estate transaction.-Historical usage:An indenture is a...
s in 1822–1823, he found employment in a Manchester warehouse in Newgate Street
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
, which he exchanged in 1827 for a clerkship in a proctor's office at Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons
Doctors' Commons, also called the College of Civilians, was a society of lawyers practising civil law in London. Like the Inns of Court of the common lawyers, the society had buildings with rooms where its members lived and worked, and a large library...
. His next step was to obtain two secretary
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
ships. One to a school for orphans, the other to the Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School
Mill Hill School, in Mill Hill, London, is a coeducational independent school for boarding and day pupils aged 13–18. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, an organisation of public schools in the United Kingdom....
.
Legal and political careers
Meanwhile he pursued his studies, and in 1833 entered the Inner TempleInner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, 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...
, where he was called to the Bar on 9 June 1837. Confining himself to the Court of Chancery
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...
, he rapidly acquired an extensive practice, in particular following his opinion for a large London firm in Lister v Stubbs, which also led to a friendship with Edwin Wilkins Field
Edwin Wilkins Field
Edwin Wilkins Field was an English lawyer and painter who committed much of his life to law reform.-Life:Edwin was the eldest son of William Field and was born at Leam, near Warwick. He was educated at his father's school, and on 19 March 1821 was articled to the firm of Taylor & Roscoe,...
. He took silk in Trinity vacation 1846. After some unsuccessful attempts to enter parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, he was returned for the Conservatives for West Gloucestershire on 31 March 1857, and for ten years continued to represent the same constituency. In 1862 he carried through the House of Commons the measure commonly known as Rolt's Act, by which an important step was taken towards the fusion of law and equity. In 1866 he succeeded Sir Hugh Cairns
Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns
Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns PC, QC was a British statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom during the first two ministries of Benjamin Disraeli. He was one of the most prominent Conservative statesmen in the House of Lords during this period of Victorian politics...
as Attorney General
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
on 29 October, and was knighted on 10 November.
On 18 July 1867 he succeeded Sir George James Turner as Lord Justice of Appeal
Lord Justice of Appeal
A Lord Justice of Appeal is an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, and represents the second highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales-Appointment:...
, and on 3 August was sworn to the Privy Council. Incipient paralysis
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
, due to long-continued overwork, compelled his resignation in February 1868, and on 6 June 1871 he died at his estate, Ozleworth Park, Wotton-under-Edge
Wotton-under-Edge
Wotton-under-Edge is a market town within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England. Located near the southern end of the Cotswolds, the Cotswold Way long-distance footpath passes through the town. Standing on the B4058 Wotton is about from the M5 motorway. The nearest railway station is...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
. He was buried on 12 June in Ozleworth churchyard.
Private and family life
In early life Rolt abandoned the dissenters and became a passionate adherent of the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. He married twice:
- In 1826 to Sarah (died 1850), daughter of Thomas Bosworth of BosworthBosworthBosworth may refer to:*The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field, an important battle during the Wars of the Roses in 15th century England*Bosworth, a board game*Baron Bosworth, former title for the Duke of Berwick- Places :Places in Leicestershire, UK...
, LeicestershireLeicestershireLeicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
. The couple had four daughters and a son who succeeded to John's property. - In 1857 to Elizabeth (died 1867), daughter of Stephen Godson of CroydonCroydonCroydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. The couple had a son.