Joseph Phillimore
Encyclopedia
Joseph Phillimore was an English civil lawyer and politician, Regius Professor of Civil Law at Oxford from 1809.
, by Mary, daughter of John Machin of Kensington
, was born on 14 September 1775. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford
, where he matriculated on 30 May 1793, graduated B.A. in 1797, B.C.L. in 1800, and proceeded D.C.L. in 1804.
Admitted a member of the College of Advocates on 21 November 1804, he practised with success in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts, and in 1806–7 was commissioner for the disposal of Prussian and Danish ships seized by way of reprisals for the violation of the neutrality of Hanover by the Prussian government, and the submission of Denmark to France. In 1809 he succeeded French Laurence
as regius professor of civil law at Oxford, chancellor of the diocese of Oxford, and judge of the court of admiralty of the Cinque ports. On 17 March 1817 he was returned to parliament in the Grenville interest for the borough of St Mawes
, Cornwall, vacant by the death of his friend Francis Horner
; he continued to represent it until the dissolution of 2 June 1826. He was then (9 June) returned for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
, but did not seek re-election on the dissolution of 24 July 1830.
Phillimore was one of the original members of a short-lived third party
formed in 1818. During his brief parliamentary career he distinguished himself by his advocacy of Catholic emancipation
and his expositions of international law
. He was placed on the board of control for India upon its reconstitution on 8 February 1822, and held office until the fall of Lord Goderich's administration in January 1828. On 23 January 1833 he was named principal commissioner for the final adjudication of the French claims under the treaties of 1815 and 1818. He also presided over the registration commission appointed on 13 September 1836, and drafted the report. Phillimore was appointed king's advocate in the court of admiralty on 25 Oct. 1834, and chancellor of the diocese of Worcester and commissary of the deanery of St Paul's Cathedral in the same year; chancellor of the diocese of Bristol in 1842, and judge of the consistory court of Gloucester in 1846.
He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the university of Cambridge in 1834, was elected Fellow of the Royal Society on 13 February 1840, and a trustee of the Busby charity on 23 May the same year. He retained the chair of civil law at Oxford until his death, which took place at his residence, Shiplake House, near Reading, on 24 January 1855.
.
Phillimore edited ‘Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Ecclesiastical Courts at Doctors' Commons and in the High Court of Delegates (1809–21),’ London, 1818–27, 3 vols. 8vo; and ‘Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Arches and Prerogative Courts of Canterbury,’ containing the judgments of Sir George Lee, London, 1832–3, 3 vols. His ‘Speeches delivered in the Sheldon Theatre, at the Commemoration holden on the 10th, 11th, and 13th of June 1834, at which the Duke of Wellington presided in Person,’ were printed at Oxford the same year.
, Staffordshire, younger brother of William Bagot, 1st Baron Bagot
, by whom he had, with other issue, John George Phillimore, Greville Phillimore
, and Robert Joseph Phillimore
.
Life
The eldest son of Joseph Phillimore, vicar of Orton-on-the-Hill, LeicestershireLeicestershire
Leicestershire 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...
, by Mary, daughter of John Machin of Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, was born on 14 September 1775. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, where he matriculated on 30 May 1793, graduated B.A. in 1797, B.C.L. in 1800, and proceeded D.C.L. in 1804.
Admitted a member of the College of Advocates on 21 November 1804, he practised with success in the ecclesiastical and admiralty courts, and in 1806–7 was commissioner for the disposal of Prussian and Danish ships seized by way of reprisals for the violation of the neutrality of Hanover by the Prussian government, and the submission of Denmark to France. In 1809 he succeeded French Laurence
French Laurence
French Laurence was an English jurist and man of letters, a close associate of Edmund Burke whose literary executor he became.-Life:...
as regius professor of civil law at Oxford, chancellor of the diocese of Oxford, and judge of the court of admiralty of the Cinque ports. On 17 March 1817 he was returned to parliament in the Grenville interest for the borough of St Mawes
St Mawes (UK Parliament constituency)
St Mawes was a rotten borough in Cornwall. It returned two Members of Parliament ) to the House of Commons of England from 1562 to 1707, to the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until it was abolished by the Great Reform Act in...
, Cornwall, vacant by the death of his friend Francis Horner
Francis Horner
Francis Horner was a Scottish Whig MP for St. Ives in 1806, Wendover in 1807, and St. Mawes in 1812 ....
; he continued to represent it until the dissolution of 2 June 1826. He was then (9 June) returned for Yarmouth, Isle of Wight
Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) (UK Parliament constituency)
Yarmouth was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
, but did not seek re-election on the dissolution of 24 July 1830.
Phillimore was one of the original members of a short-lived third party
Third party (politics)
In a two-party system of politics, the term third party is sometimes applied to a party other than the two dominant ones. While technically the term is limited to the third largest party or third oldest party, it is common, though innumerate, shorthand for any smaller party.For instance, in the...
formed in 1818. During his brief parliamentary career he distinguished himself by his advocacy of Catholic emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
and his expositions of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. He was placed on the board of control for India upon its reconstitution on 8 February 1822, and held office until the fall of Lord Goderich's administration in January 1828. On 23 January 1833 he was named principal commissioner for the final adjudication of the French claims under the treaties of 1815 and 1818. He also presided over the registration commission appointed on 13 September 1836, and drafted the report. Phillimore was appointed king's advocate in the court of admiralty on 25 Oct. 1834, and chancellor of the diocese of Worcester and commissary of the deanery of St Paul's Cathedral in the same year; chancellor of the diocese of Bristol in 1842, and judge of the consistory court of Gloucester in 1846.
He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from the university of Cambridge in 1834, was elected Fellow of the Royal Society on 13 February 1840, and a trustee of the Busby charity on 23 May the same year. He retained the chair of civil law at Oxford until his death, which took place at his residence, Shiplake House, near Reading, on 24 January 1855.
Works
Phillimore gained in 1798 the university English essay prize by a dissertation on ‘Chivalry,’ printed in the ‘Oxford English Prize Essays,’ Oxford, 1836, vol. ii. As a young man he had a passing connection with the Edinburgh ReviewEdinburgh Review
The Edinburgh Review, founded in 1802, was one of the most influential British magazines of the 19th century. It ceased publication in 1929. The magazine took its Latin motto judex damnatur ubi nocens absolvitur from Publilius Syrus.In 1984, the Scottish cultural magazine New Edinburgh Review,...
.
Phillimore edited ‘Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Ecclesiastical Courts at Doctors' Commons and in the High Court of Delegates (1809–21),’ London, 1818–27, 3 vols. 8vo; and ‘Reports of Cases argued and determined in the Arches and Prerogative Courts of Canterbury,’ containing the judgments of Sir George Lee, London, 1832–3, 3 vols. His ‘Speeches delivered in the Sheldon Theatre, at the Commemoration holden on the 10th, 11th, and 13th of June 1834, at which the Duke of Wellington presided in Person,’ were printed at Oxford the same year.
Family
Phillimore married, on 19 March 1807, Elizabeth (d. 1859), daughter of the Rev. Walter Bagot, rector of BlithfieldBlithfield
Blithfield is a civil parish in the East Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It includes the settlements of Admaston, Newton, along with Blithfield Hall, home of the Bagot family since 1360. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 225. Blithfield Reservoir takes up much of...
, Staffordshire, younger brother of William Bagot, 1st Baron Bagot
William Bagot, 1st Baron Bagot
William Bagot, 1st Baron Bagot , known as Sir William Bagot, 6th Baronet from 1768 to 1780, was a British politician.Bagot was the son of Sir Walter Bagot, 5th Baronet, and his wife Lady Barbara Legge...
, by whom he had, with other issue, John George Phillimore, Greville Phillimore
Greville Phillimore
Greville Phillimore was a priest of the Church of England and hymnal compiler.-Life:He was the fifth son of Joseph Phillimore. He was educated successively at Westminster School, Charterhouse School, and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1842, and M.A. in 1844. Taking holy orders,...
, and Robert Joseph Phillimore
Robert Joseph Phillimore
Sir Robert Joseph Phillimore, 1st Baronet PC ,was an English judge and politician.Born in Whitehall, he was the third son of Joseph Phillimore, a well-known ecclesiastical lawyer. Educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where a lifelong friendship with W. E...
.