Sir William Moore Johnson, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Rt Hon Sir William Moore Johnson, 1st Baronet KC
(1828 – 9 December 1918) was an Irish
barrister and judge.
He was the son of Rev. William Johnson, chancellor
of the Diocese of Cloyne
. He was educated at Dublin University, entered Lincoln's Inn
in 1849, and was called to the Irish bar four years later. In 1872, he became a Queen's Counsel
.
He was elected as a Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Mallow
in County Cork
in 1880, and held the seat until 1883. He also served as Solicitor General for Ireland from 1880 to 1881. In 1881, he was sworn a member of the Privy Council of Ireland
and made Attorney General for Ireland. He remained Attorney General until 1883, when he was appointed a Justice of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland. He married Susan, daughter of Richard Bayly of Green Park, the following year.
As a judge he was notorious for his inability to get the facts of a case right, leading to the nickname " Wooden-headed Billy". Maurice Healy however adds that he was a fairly good lawyer and the kindest-hearted of men; in an era when many Irish judges, such as Holmes, Boyd and Andrews were noted for the severity of their sentences Johnson was noted for clemency.
He was created a Baronet
(of Dublin) in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 24 November 1909 after his retirement from the court that year. The title became extinct on his death.
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...
(1828 – 9 December 1918) was an Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
barrister and judge.
He was the son of Rev. William Johnson, chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
of the Diocese of Cloyne
Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross (Church of Ireland)
The Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, also referred to as the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross is a diocese in the Church of Ireland. The diocese is in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin...
. He was educated at Dublin University, entered 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 1849, and was called to the Irish bar four years later. In 1872, he became a 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...
.
He was elected as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP) for Mallow
Mallow (UK Parliament constituency)
Mallow was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:...
in County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1880, and held the seat until 1883. He also served as Solicitor General for Ireland from 1880 to 1881. In 1881, he was sworn a member of the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
and made Attorney General for Ireland. He remained Attorney General until 1883, when he was appointed a Justice of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in Ireland. He married Susan, daughter of Richard Bayly of Green Park, the following year.
As a judge he was notorious for his inability to get the facts of a case right, leading to the nickname " Wooden-headed Billy". Maurice Healy however adds that he was a fairly good lawyer and the kindest-hearted of men; in an era when many Irish judges, such as Holmes, Boyd and Andrews were noted for the severity of their sentences Johnson was noted for clemency.
He was created a Baronet
Johnson Baronets
There have been three Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Johnson, one in the Baronetage of Great Britain and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom...
(of Dublin) in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom on 24 November 1909 after his retirement from the court that year. The title became extinct on his death.