John Chesshyre
Encyclopedia
Sir John Chesshyre was an English lawyer
who rose to the position of king's first serjeant
.
, near Runcorn
, Cheshire
, the son of Thomas and Catherine Chesshyre. Thomas Chesshyre was Bailiff
of the Lordship of Halton and Whitley
. The family had been Royalists in the Civil War
and they had sustained severe financial penalties when the Parliamentarians were ruling the country.
in 1682 and called to the bar
there in 1689. In 1705 he accepted the degree of serjeant-at-law. He became one of the crown counsel as queen's sergeant in 1711 and was knighted in 1713. In 1727 he was declared the king's first serjeant. His profession made him a wealthy man; in the six years from 1719 he earned an average of over £3,000 a year, making him one of the highest earning counsels practising in Westminster Hall. In 1725 he reduced his practice, confining it to the Court of Common Pleas
, thus reducing his annual income to an average of £1,300.
For most of his professional life he lived in London
, either in his house in Isleworth
, which was then in Middlesex
, or in his other home in Essex Street, off the Strand
, or in his chambers in the Inner Temple
. His death in 1738 was sudden and the Gentleman's Magazine stated that he "was worth £100,000 all acquired by the Law". He had expressed a wish to be buried in Runcorn parish church but he wanted "no lying in state nor pompous train of coaches into Cheshire nor any unnecessary attendance". Nevertheless his funeral procession took five days to travel from Isleworth to Runcorn and his funeral expenses amounted to over £350. There is a monument to his memory in Runcorn parish church but this is now out of sight behind the organ.
Sir John's first wife died in London in 1705 and was buried in Runcorn. In 1706 he married Ann Lawley who outlived him to die in 1756. His brother, Robert Chesshyre, was vicar of Runcorn and he died in 1739.
at Halton and for leaving an endowment
in his will
for its further maintenance. The library had been completed in 1733 and was furnished with 400 books which were mainly ecclesiastical
histories and works of law. The library had been intended for the incumbent
of Halton and "for any divine or divines of the Church of England
or other gentlemen or persons of letters". This made it in effect the first, or one of the first, free libraries in England. Sir John also built the vicarage
in Halton in 1739 and endowed the curacy
there.
As time passed, the endowment proved insufficient for the maintenance of the building and its contents. By the middle of the 19th century it had "no function and no money". By the middle of the 20th century it was in a state of advanced dilapidation. The adjacent land owned by the church was acquired by the North-West Water Authority
. A new parish hall was built with money received as compensation from the Water Authority and a passageway was made to link the hall with the library which now serves as a meeting room. The library has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and its gates are listed at Grade II.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
who rose to the position of king's first serjeant
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
.
Family background
Sir John Chesshyre was born at Hallwood, HaltonHalton, Cheshire
Halton, formerly a separate village, is now part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The name Halton has been assumed by the Borough of Halton, which includes Runcorn, Widnes and some outlying parishes.-Geography:...
, near Runcorn
Runcorn
Runcorn is an industrial town and cargo port within the borough of Halton in the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. In 2009, its population was estimated to be 61,500. The town is on the southern bank of the River Mersey where the estuary narrows to form Runcorn Gap. Directly to the north...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the son of Thomas and Catherine Chesshyre. Thomas Chesshyre was Bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
of the Lordship of Halton and Whitley
Whitley, Cheshire
Whitley is a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It is surrounded by the parishes of Antrobus, Comberbach, Little Leigh and Dutton...
. The family had been Royalists in the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and they had sustained severe financial penalties when the Parliamentarians were ruling the country.
Legal career
John Chesshyre was admitted to Gray's InnGray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, 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 1682 and called to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
there in 1689. In 1705 he accepted the degree of serjeant-at-law. He became one of the crown counsel as queen's sergeant in 1711 and was knighted in 1713. In 1727 he was declared the king's first serjeant. His profession made him a wealthy man; in the six years from 1719 he earned an average of over £3,000 a year, making him one of the highest earning counsels practising in Westminster Hall. In 1725 he reduced his practice, confining it to the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
, thus reducing his annual income to an average of £1,300.
Personal life
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, either in his house in Isleworth
Isleworth
Isleworth is a small town of Saxon origin sited within the London Borough of Hounslow in west London, England. It lies immediately east of the town of Hounslow and west of the River Thames and its tributary the River Crane. Isleworth's original area of settlement, alongside the Thames, is known as...
, which was then in 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...
, or in his other home in Essex Street, off the Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, or in his chambers in 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...
. His death in 1738 was sudden and the Gentleman's Magazine stated that he "was worth £100,000 all acquired by the Law". He had expressed a wish to be buried in Runcorn parish church but he wanted "no lying in state nor pompous train of coaches into Cheshire nor any unnecessary attendance". Nevertheless his funeral procession took five days to travel from Isleworth to Runcorn and his funeral expenses amounted to over £350. There is a monument to his memory in Runcorn parish church but this is now out of sight behind the organ.
Sir John's first wife died in London in 1705 and was buried in Runcorn. In 1706 he married Ann Lawley who outlived him to die in 1756. His brother, Robert Chesshyre, was vicar of Runcorn and he died in 1739.
The Chesshyre Library
He is best remembered locally for founding a libraryLibrary
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
at Halton and for leaving an endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
in his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
for its further maintenance. The library had been completed in 1733 and was furnished with 400 books which were mainly ecclesiastical
Ecclesiology
Today, ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian church. However when the word was coined in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of churches and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.In its theological sense, ecclesiology...
histories and works of law. The library had been intended for the incumbent
Incumbent (ecclesiastical)
In Anglican canon law, the incumbent of a benefice, usually the parish priest, holds the temporalities or assets and income.Depending on the terms of governance of each parish an incumbent might be either:...
of Halton and "for any divine or divines of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
or other gentlemen or persons of letters". This made it in effect the first, or one of the first, free libraries in England. Sir John also built the vicarage
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
in Halton in 1739 and endowed the curacy
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
there.
As time passed, the endowment proved insufficient for the maintenance of the building and its contents. By the middle of the 19th century it had "no function and no money". By the middle of the 20th century it was in a state of advanced dilapidation. The adjacent land owned by the church was acquired by the North-West Water Authority
North West Water
North West Water was a water supply company serving north west England. It was originally the North West Water Authority, one of ten regional authorities created by the Water Act 1973. In 1989 it became North West Water plc, and was privatised...
. A new parish hall was built with money received as compensation from the Water Authority and a passageway was made to link the hall with the library which now serves as a meeting room. The library has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and its gates are listed at Grade II.
See also
- Listed buildings in Runcorn (urban area)