Arthur Colefax
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry "Arthur" Colefax, KC
(9 July 1866–19 February 1936) was a British
patent lawyer and Conservative Party
politician.
Colefax was born in Bradford
, Yorkshire
, and was the son of J S Colefax, a woollen merchant. He was initially educated at Bradford Grammar School
before studying natural science and chemistry at the University of Strasbourg
, and at Merton
and Christ Church
Colleges at the University of Oxford
.
In 1894 he was called to the bar
at Lincoln's Inn
, and quickly became an acknowledged expert on patent law. He was made a King's Counsel
in 1912.
At the January 1910 general election he was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament
(MP) for Manchester South West
, benefiting from a split in anti-Conservative vote between the Social Democratic Federation
and Liberal
candidates. He held the seat for less than a year, and was defeated at ensuing election in December.
Much of his work was involved in Anglo-German patents, but this was ended by outbreak of the First World War. He became head of the scientific department of the Ministry of Munitions for the duration of the war. He was knighted for his wartime services in 1920.
In 1918 he was appointed as solicitor-general of the County Palatine of Durham
, becoming Chancellor of the Chancery Court of the Palatine in 1930. These offices had been almost entirely ceremonial since 1837.
In 1901 he married Sybil Halsey
, and they had two sons. Sybil Colefax was to become a renowned interior designer.
Colefax died from pneumonia at his Chelsea
home in 1936, aged 69.
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...
(9 July 1866–19 February 1936) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
patent lawyer and Conservative Party
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.
Colefax was born in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and was the son of J S Colefax, a woollen merchant. He was initially educated at Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...
before studying natural science and chemistry at the University of Strasbourg
University of Strasbourg
The University of Strasbourg in Strasbourg, Alsace, France, is the largest university in France, with about 43,000 students and over 4,000 researchers....
, and at Merton
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
and Christ Church
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...
Colleges at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
In 1894 he was called to the bar
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...
at 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...
, and quickly became an acknowledged expert on patent law. He was made a King'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 1912.
At the January 1910 general election he was elected as Conservative 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 Manchester South West
Manchester South West (UK Parliament constituency)
Manchester South West was one of six single-member Parliamentary constituencies created in 1885 by the division of the existing three-member Parliamentary Borough of Manchester...
, benefiting from a split in anti-Conservative vote between the Social Democratic Federation
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on June 7, 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury and Eleanor Marx. However, Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx's long-term...
and 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...
candidates. He held the seat for less than a year, and was defeated at ensuing election in December.
Much of his work was involved in Anglo-German patents, but this was ended by outbreak of the First World War. He became head of the scientific department of the Ministry of Munitions for the duration of the war. He was knighted for his wartime services in 1920.
In 1918 he was appointed as solicitor-general of the County Palatine of Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, becoming Chancellor of the Chancery Court of the Palatine in 1930. These offices had been almost entirely ceremonial since 1837.
In 1901 he married Sybil Halsey
Sybil Colefax
Sibyl Colefax, Lady Colefax was a notable English interior decorator and socialite in the first half of the twentieth century....
, and they had two sons. Sybil Colefax was to become a renowned interior designer.
Colefax died from pneumonia at his Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
home in 1936, aged 69.