Ernley Blackwell
Encyclopedia
Sir Ernley Robertson Hay Blackwell KCB
, (6 June 1868, St Andrews
, Fife
, Scotland–21 September 1941, Radlett
, Hertfordshire
, England) was a British lawyer and career civil servant. The youngest son of Surgeon-Major James Hay Blackwell, H.E.I.C.S.
, and his wife, Eliza Jane Robertson, of 3, Gillespie terrace, St Andrews, Blackwell was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond
, where, as captain of school
, he early displayed his leadership skills, combining these with sporting prowess, as captain of the 1st XI (Cricket
), 1st XV (Rugby
), and of the golf team. Destined for the legal profession
, he was called to the Bar
from the Inner Temple
in 1892. Subsequently, he spent his career in Whitehall
as a member of the British Civil Service, rising to senior appointments, first as Assistant Secretary at the Home Department
from 1906 to 1913, and then as Legal Assistant Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
from 1913 until his retirement in 1933.
As chief legal advisor to the Cabinet
, Blackwell was involved in the prosecution of Roger Casement
, and authorised the circulation of his disputed black diaries, saying in summer 1916:
In 1918, due to worries over the large number of firearms left in private hands following World War I
, and the concern that they would be used by "savage or semi-civilised tribesmen in outlying parts of the British Empire" or by an "anarchist or intellectual malcontent of the great cities whose weapons are the bomb and the automatic pistol.", a Committee on Firearms Control was struck with Blackwell as its chairman. The report it issued recommended "stringent regulation" of rifles and small arms as "the number of persons who can urge any reasonable ground for possession of a revolver or pistol is extremely small [and] the danger attending the indiscriminate possession of such weapons is obvious", conclusions which led to the passage of the Firearms Act 1920.
Following his retirement, Blackwell's continued interest in legal matters was shown by his 1934 appointment as chairman of the statutory committee of Britain's Pharmaceutical Society, to which he had been elected an honorary member in 1928. He exercised that position until 1939. Among other interests, he was a first-class golfer who captained The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
in 1933.
He was also a member of the Zoological Society from 1914.
Blackwell married at the age of 69, and, at his death, aged 73, left a widow, Kitty, Lady Blackwell, of 7, Hay Hill, London, W1. He was buried in the Blackwell family grave in St Andrews Eastern cemetery, St Andrews, Fife.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, (6 June 1868, St Andrews
St Andrews
St Andrews is a university town and former royal burgh on the east coast of Fife in Scotland. The town is named after Saint Andrew the Apostle.St Andrews has a population of 16,680, making this the fifth largest settlement in Fife....
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland–21 September 1941, Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England) was a British lawyer and career civil servant. The youngest son of Surgeon-Major James Hay Blackwell, H.E.I.C.S.
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, and his wife, Eliza Jane Robertson, of 3, Gillespie terrace, St Andrews, Blackwell was educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond
Glenalmond College
Glenalmond College is a co-educational independent boarding school in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, for children aged between 12 and 18 years. It is situated on the River Almond near the village of Methven, about west of the city of Perth. The school's motto is Floreat Glenalmond...
, where, as captain of school
School Captain
School Captain is a student appointed or elected to represent the school.This student, usually in the senior year, in their final year of attending that school...
, he early displayed his leadership skills, combining these with sporting prowess, as captain of the 1st XI (Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
), 1st XV (Rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
), and of the golf team. Destined for the legal profession
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, he was called to the Bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
from 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 1892. Subsequently, he spent his career in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
as a member of the British Civil Service, rising to senior appointments, first as Assistant Secretary at the Home Department
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
from 1906 to 1913, and then as Legal Assistant Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
from 1913 until his retirement in 1933.
As chief legal advisor to the Cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
, Blackwell was involved in the prosecution of Roger Casement
Roger Casement
Roger David Casement —Sir Roger Casement CMG between 1911 and shortly before his execution for treason, when he was stripped of his British honours—was an Irish patriot, poet, revolutionary, and nationalist....
, and authorised the circulation of his disputed black diaries, saying in summer 1916:
In 1918, due to worries over the large number of firearms left in private hands following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and the concern that they would be used by "savage or semi-civilised tribesmen in outlying parts of the British Empire" or by an "anarchist or intellectual malcontent of the great cities whose weapons are the bomb and the automatic pistol.", a Committee on Firearms Control was struck with Blackwell as its chairman. The report it issued recommended "stringent regulation" of rifles and small arms as "the number of persons who can urge any reasonable ground for possession of a revolver or pistol is extremely small [and] the danger attending the indiscriminate possession of such weapons is obvious", conclusions which led to the passage of the Firearms Act 1920.
Following his retirement, Blackwell's continued interest in legal matters was shown by his 1934 appointment as chairman of the statutory committee of Britain's Pharmaceutical Society, to which he had been elected an honorary member in 1928. He exercised that position until 1939. Among other interests, he was a first-class golfer who captained The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf clubs in the world . It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf"...
in 1933.
He was also a member of the Zoological Society from 1914.
Blackwell married at the age of 69, and, at his death, aged 73, left a widow, Kitty, Lady Blackwell, of 7, Hay Hill, London, W1. He was buried in the Blackwell family grave in St Andrews Eastern cemetery, St Andrews, Fife.