Patrick Colquhoun (lawyer)
Encyclopedia
Sir Patrick Colquhoun QC
(13 April 1815 – 18 May 1891) was a British diplomat, legal writer and sculler
who was considered the father of Cambridge rowing
.
Colquhoun was the son of James Colquhoun
and the grandson of the Patrick Colquhoun
who was Lord Provost of Glasgow. He was educated at Westminster
and St John's College, Cambridge
. In 1837 he won the Wingfield Sculls and in the same year instituted the Colquhoun Sculls at the University of Cambridge
.
From 1840 to 1844, Colquhoun was Plenipotentiary
of the Hanse Towns at Constantinople
, Persia and Greece, through his father's connections. In Constantinople he was close friends with James Redhouse
. He encountered the author George Borrow
on his travels and was not impressed. He then returned to England and joined the Home Circuit. He was well respected in the literary world and became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
in 1845. Charles Leland wrote Who that knows London knoweth not Sir Patrick Colquhoun? I made his acquaintance in 1848, when, coming over from student-life in Paris. He was also a noted linguist. From 1857 to 1866, he was Aulic Counsellor to the King of Saxony and standing Counsel to the Saxon Legation. He was then member of the Supreme Court of Justice in Corfu from 1858 to 1861. In 1861, when he was Chief Justice
of the Ionian Islands, he was knighted on 14 November. Colquhoun became Queen's Counsel
in 1868 and a bencher of the Inner Temple
in 1869.
Colquhoun died at 2 King's Bench Walk at the age of 76. He was a member of the Order of the Temple and associated with fringe Freemasonry.
Colquhoun married Katherine de St Vitalis. Their daughter married Sir James Redhouse
.
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...
(13 April 1815 – 18 May 1891) was a British diplomat, legal writer and sculler
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
who was considered the father of Cambridge rowing
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
.
Colquhoun was the son of James Colquhoun
James Colquhoun
James Colquhoun was a British diplomat who represented the interests of various German cities in Great Britain.-Biography:...
and the grandson of the Patrick Colquhoun
Patrick Colquhoun
Patrick Colquhoun was a Scottish merchant, statistician, magistrate, and founder of the first regular preventive police force in England, the Thames River Police.-Early life:...
who was Lord Provost of Glasgow. He was educated at Westminster
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
. In 1837 he won the Wingfield Sculls and in the same year instituted the Colquhoun Sculls at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
From 1840 to 1844, Colquhoun was Plenipotentiary
Plenipotentiary
The word plenipotentiary has two meanings. As a noun, it refers to a person who has "full powers." In particular, the term commonly refers to a diplomat fully authorized to represent his government as a prerogative...
of the Hanse Towns at Constantinople
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Persia and Greece, through his father's connections. In Constantinople he was close friends with James Redhouse
James Redhouse
Sir James William Redhouse KCMG authored the original and authoritative Ottoman - English dictionary. He was commissioned by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions for his dictionary...
. He encountered the author George Borrow
George Borrow
George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
on his travels and was not impressed. He then returned to England and joined the Home Circuit. He was well respected in the literary world and became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature is the "senior literary organisation in Britain". It was founded in 1820 by George IV, in order to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". The Society's first president was Thomas Burgess, who later became the Bishop of Salisbury...
in 1845. Charles Leland wrote Who that knows London knoweth not Sir Patrick Colquhoun? I made his acquaintance in 1848, when, coming over from student-life in Paris. He was also a noted linguist. From 1857 to 1866, he was Aulic Counsellor to the King of Saxony and standing Counsel to the Saxon Legation. He was then member of the Supreme Court of Justice in Corfu from 1858 to 1861. In 1861, when he was Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Ionian Islands, he was knighted on 14 November. Colquhoun became Queen's Counsel
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 1868 and a bencher of the Inner Temple
Inner 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...
in 1869.
Colquhoun died at 2 King's Bench Walk at the age of 76. He was a member of the Order of the Temple and associated with fringe Freemasonry.
Colquhoun married Katherine de St Vitalis. Their daughter married Sir James Redhouse
James Redhouse
Sir James William Redhouse KCMG authored the original and authoritative Ottoman - English dictionary. He was commissioned by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions for his dictionary...
.
Publications
- A Summary of the Roman Civil Laws 1849
- Russian Despotism and Ruthlessness: As disclosed in authentic documents 1877
- A Concise History of the Order of the Temple 1878