John Burgess Karslake
Encyclopedia
Sir John Burgess Karslake (December 13, 1821 – October 4, 1881) was an English lawyer and politician.
The son of Henry Karslake, a solicitor and Confidential Secretary to the Duke of Kent
, by his wife Elizabeth Marsh Preston, the daughter of Richard Preston, Q.C. and sometime M.P. for Ashburton, he was educated at Harrow
. His elder brother, Edward Kent Karslake (born 1820), was a Q.C., sometime M.P. for Colchester and Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford
.
He was appointed a barrister of the Middle Temple
in 1846, and a Queen's Counsel
in 1861. He held office as Solicitor General for England and Wales
in 1866-67 and as Attorney General for England and Wales
from 1867-8 and again in 1874. He was knighted in 1866 and appointed a Privy Counsellor
in 1876. He was a member of the Judicature Commission.
Between 1867 and 1868 he was a Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
for Andover
. That constituency was reduced to one seat in 1868 and Karslake unsuccessfully contested Exeter
at the general election of that year. He was MP for Huntingdon
1873-1876. He died in Marylebone
aged 60, unmarried, having had to retire from Parliament in February 1876 due to progressively worsening eyesight, which finally resulted in total blindness.
He was the brother or nephew of John Karslake Karslake
.
The son of Henry Karslake, a solicitor and Confidential Secretary to the Duke of Kent
Duke of Kent
Duke of Kent is a title which has been created various times in the peerages of Great Britain and the United Kingdom, most recently as a royal dukedom for the fourth son of George V.-Pre-history:...
, by his wife Elizabeth Marsh Preston, the daughter of Richard Preston, Q.C. and sometime M.P. for Ashburton, he was educated at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. His elder brother, Edward Kent Karslake (born 1820), was a Q.C., sometime M.P. for Colchester and Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
.
He was appointed a barrister of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1846, and 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...
in 1861. He held office as Solicitor General for England and Wales
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
in 1866-67 and as Attorney General for England and Wales
Attorney General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Attorney General for England and Wales, usually known simply as the Attorney General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown. Along with the subordinate Solicitor General for England and Wales, the Attorney General serves as the chief legal adviser of the Crown and its government in...
from 1867-8 and again in 1874. He was knighted in 1866 and appointed a Privy Counsellor
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1876. He was a member of the Judicature Commission.
Between 1867 and 1868 he was a 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...
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,...
for Andover
Andover (UK Parliament constituency)
Andover was the name of a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England from 1295 to 1307, and again from 1586, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1918. It was a parliamentary borough in Hampshire,...
. That constituency was reduced to one seat in 1868 and Karslake unsuccessfully contested Exeter
Exeter (UK Parliament constituency)
Exeter is a borough 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 system of election....
at the general election of that year. He was MP for Huntingdon
Huntingdon (UK Parliament constituency)
Huntingdon is a county 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 system of election....
1873-1876. He died in Marylebone
Marylebone
Marylebone is an affluent inner-city area of central London, located within the City of Westminster. It is sometimes written as St. Marylebone or Mary-le-bone....
aged 60, unmarried, having had to retire from Parliament in February 1876 due to progressively worsening eyesight, which finally resulted in total blindness.
He was the brother or nephew of John Karslake Karslake
John Karslake Karslake
John Karslake Karslake was a 19th century Member of Parliament in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand.-Private life:Karslake arrived in Lyttelton on the Gananoque on 9 May 1860. The ship had sailed from London. In 1861, Karslake was living in the Cheviot district.In about 1863, Karslake and...
.
Sources
- Who's Who of British Members of Parliament, Volume I 1832-1885, edited by M. Stenton (The Harvester Press 1976)
- Concise Dictionary of National Biography