William Forsyth QC
Encyclopedia
William Forsyth QC
(25 October 1812 - 26 December 1899) was a Scottish lawyer
and Conservative
Member of Parliament
(MP). He was born at Greenock
in Renfrewshire
, son of Thomas Forsyth and Jean Campbell Hamilton. He died at Knightsbridge
, Middlesex
.
He was educated at Sherborne School
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he graduated B.A. in 1834. He was admitted at the Inner Temple
in 1834 and called to the Bar in 1839. He became a Bencher in 1857, Queen's Counsel
in 1857 and Treasurer in 1872. He worked on the Midland Circuit. He was Standing Counsel to Secretary of State for India
1859 to 1874. He was elected as MP for Cambridge
at the 1865 general election
but was unseated in April 1866, being disqualified as holding an office of profit under the Crown. He was later MP for Marylebone
from 1874 to 1880. He wrote a number of books on historical and legal subjects, including Life of Cicero (1864), Novels and Novelists of the Eighteen Century (1853) and Hannibal in Italy (1872). He was also editor of several magazines, and a member of the Canterbury Association
from 1848 to 1850. His will probated at £18,667 in 1899.
, James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope
and John Hamilton Wedgwood
.
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...
(25 October 1812 - 26 December 1899) was a Scottish lawyer
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and 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...
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). He was born at Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
in Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
, son of Thomas Forsyth and Jean Campbell Hamilton. He died at Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
He was educated at Sherborne School
Sherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
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 B.A. in 1834. He was admitted at 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 1834 and called to the Bar in 1839. He became a Bencher in 1857, 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 1857 and Treasurer in 1872. He worked on the Midland Circuit. He was Standing Counsel to Secretary of State for India
Secretary of State for India
The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...
1859 to 1874. He was elected as MP for Cambridge
Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency)
Cambridge is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
at the 1865 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1865
The 1865 United Kingdom general election saw the Liberals, led by Lord Palmerston, increase their large majority over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives to more than 80. The Whig Party changed its name to the Liberal Party between the previous election and this one.Palmerston died later in the same...
but was unseated in April 1866, being disqualified as holding an office of profit under the Crown. He was later MP for Marylebone
Marylebone (UK Parliament constituency)
Marylebone was a parliamentary constituency in Middlesex, England from 1832 to 1885. The parliamentary borough formed part of the built up area of London, and returned two members to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
from 1874 to 1880. He wrote a number of books on historical and legal subjects, including Life of Cicero (1864), Novels and Novelists of the Eighteen Century (1853) and Hannibal in Italy (1872). He was also editor of several magazines, and a member of the Canterbury Association
Canterbury Association
The Canterbury Association was formed in order to establish a colony in what is now the Canterbury Region in the South Island of New Zealand.- Formation of the Association :...
from 1848 to 1850. His will probated at £18,667 in 1899.
Family
Forsyth was married twice. He was firstly married to Mary Lyall (daughter of George Lyall and Margaret Ann Edwards) (1819–1864), in 1843, by whom he had six children (two sons and four daughters). He remarried to Georgina Plummer in 1866 by whom he had children also. Wikipedia entries for his descendants and spouses of descendants include Doreen Knatchbull, Baroness BrabourneDoreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne
Doreen Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne, CI was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat, socialite and victim of the Provisional IRA.-Family life:...
, James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope
James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope
James Richard Stanhope, 13th Earl of Chesterfield and 7th Earl Stanhope KG, DSO, MC, PC , styled Viscount Mahon until 1905, and known as The Earl Stanhope from 1905 until 1967, was a British Conservative politician.-Background:Stanhope was the eldest son of Arthur Stanhope, 6th Earl Stanhope, and...
and John Hamilton Wedgwood
John Hamilton Wedgwood
Sir John Hamilton Wedgwood, 2nd Baronet TD , British politician and industrialist.Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Wedgwood was the son of Sir Ralph Wedgwood, 1st Baronet and his wife Iris Veronica Pawson, daughter of Albert Henry Pawson. He was a great-great-great-grandson of the master potter Josiah...
.