James Burrow
Encyclopedia
Sir James Burrow, FRS, FSA
(28 November 1701 – 5 November 1782 at Starborough Castle, Lingfield, Surrey
), was a Legal Reporter at Inner Temple
, London, and was Vice President and twice briefly President
of the Royal Society
. He was knighted
in 1773.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 7 April 1737, as “A Gentleman well versed in Natural and Mathematical knowledge”. He served as a member of the Royal Society
Council from 1752 until 1782, initially as a Vice President from 1752, and then as a Council member. He twice served briefly as a President of the Royal Society
, from October to November 1768 following the death of The Earl of Morton
, and July to November 1772, following the death of James West
.
As Vice President, he was involved in the Society's activities in organising the observation of the 1761 Transit of Venus, signing the Articles of Agreement between the Council of the Royal Society and Mr Charles Mason
and Mr Jeremiah Dixon
for their expedition to Bencoolen in the Island of Sumatra
.
As a legal reporter, he wrote and published reports of the decisions of significant cases of English legal system. At the time, four reporters were formally appointed by the King 'to commit to writing, and truly to deliver, as well the words spoken, as the judgments and reasons thereupon given,' in the courts of Westminster
. quoted in http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=33&page=591 His work is still cited in law courses.
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(28 November 1701 – 5 November 1782 at Starborough Castle, Lingfield, Surrey
Lingfield, Surrey
Lingfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England. It is most famous for its horse racing course, Lingfield Park. Lingfield lies to the east of a section of the A22 which runs between Godstone and East Grinstead...
), was a Legal Reporter at 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...
, London, and was Vice President and twice briefly President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
. He was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1773.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 7 April 1737, as “A Gentleman well versed in Natural and Mathematical knowledge”. He served as a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
Council from 1752 until 1782, initially as a Vice President from 1752, and then as a Council member. He twice served briefly as a President of the Royal Society
President of the Royal Society
The president of the Royal Society is the elected director of the Royal Society of London. After informal meetings at Gresham College, the Royal Society was founded officially on 15 July 1662 for the encouragement of ‘philosophical studies’, by a royal charter which nominated William Brouncker as...
, from October to November 1768 following the death of The Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton KT FRS was a Scottish astronomer and representative peer who was President of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh from its foundation in 1737 until his death...
, and July to November 1772, following the death of James West
James West (antiquary)
James West FRS was a British politician and antiquary, who served as President of the Royal Society between 1768 and 1772....
.
As Vice President, he was involved in the Society's activities in organising the observation of the 1761 Transit of Venus, signing the Articles of Agreement between the Council of the Royal Society and Mr Charles Mason
Charles Mason
Charles Mason was an English astronomer who made significant contributions to 18th-century science and American history, particularly through his involvement with the survey of the Mason-Dixon line, which came to mark the division between the northern and southern United States...
and Mr Jeremiah Dixon
Jeremiah Dixon
Jeremiah Dixon was an English surveyor and astronomer who is perhaps best known for his work with Charles Mason, from 1763 to 1767, in determining what was later called the Mason-Dixon line....
for their expedition to Bencoolen in the Island of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
As a legal reporter, he wrote and published reports of the decisions of significant cases of English legal system. At the time, four reporters were formally appointed by the King 'to commit to writing, and truly to deliver, as well the words spoken, as the judgments and reasons thereupon given,' in the courts of Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
. quoted in http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?navby=CASE&court=US&vol=33&page=591 His work is still cited in law courses.
Publications
- James Burrow, 1732, The Decisions of King's Bench upon Settlement Cases from the Death of Lord Raymond. London.
- James Burrow. 1757. Serious Reflections on the Present State of Domestic and Foreign Affairs ... together with some critical remarks on lotteries, etc. London.
- James Burrow. 1763. A few Anecdotes and Observations relating to Oliver Cromwell and his family; serving to rectify several errors concerning him, published by N. C. Padopoli in his Historia Gymnasii Patavini. London.
- Sir James Burrow. 1771. De usu et ratione interpungendi: an essay on the use of pointing, and the facility of practising it. J. Worrall & B. Tovey: London.
- Sir James Burrow. 1772. Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench: During the Time Lord Mansfield Presided in That Court; from Michaelmas Term, 30 Geo. II. 1756, to Easter Term, 12 Geo. III. London.
External links
- Portrait of James Burrow by James BasireJames BasireJames Basire , also known as James Basire Sr., was an English engraver. He is the most significant of a family of engravers, and noted for his apprenticing of the young William Blake....
, from the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco - Courtney, W. P. Burrow, Sir James (1701–1782). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Online ed., January 2008. (accessed November 28, 2010)