John George Shaw Lefevre
Encyclopedia
Sir John George Shaw-Lefevre KCB
(24 January 1797 – 20 August 1879), was a British
barrister, Whig politician and civil servant.
Shaw-Lefevre was the son of Charles Shaw-Lefevre
by his wife Helen, daughter of John Lefevre. Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he was Senior Wrangler in 1818, and was called to the Bar
, Inner Temple
. He was returned to Parliament for Petersfield
in December 1832, but was unseated on petition in March 1833. He served under Lord Grey
as Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
in 1834. The latter year Shaw-Lefevre was appointed a Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act, which he remained until 1841. Between 1856 and 1875 he served as Clerk of the Parliaments
. He also helped found the University of London
and served as its Vice-Chancellor for many years. He was made a KCB
for his public services.
Shaw-Lefevre married Rachel Emily, daughter of Ichabod Wright, in 1824. They had one son, George
, who became a prominent politician and was ennobled as Baron Eversley, and five daughters. Shaw-Lefevre died in August 1879, aged 82. His wife lived for six more years before dying in February 1885.
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...
(24 January 1797 – 20 August 1879), 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...
barrister, Whig politician and civil servant.
Shaw-Lefevre was the son of Charles Shaw-Lefevre
Charles Shaw-Lefevre (MP)
Charles Shaw-Lefevre , born Charles Shaw, was a British Whig politician.Shaw-Lefevre was the son of Reverend George Shaw, Rector of Womersley, Yorkshire, by his wife Mary, daughter of Edward Green. He was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn...
by his wife Helen, daughter of John Lefevre. Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley
Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley
Charles Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Viscount Eversley GCB, PC , was a British Whig politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1839 to 1857...
, was his elder brother. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he was Senior Wrangler in 1818, and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, 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...
. He was returned to Parliament for Petersfield
Petersfield (UK Parliament constituency)
Petersfield was an English Parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Petersfield in Hampshire. It existed for several hundred years until its abolition for the 1983 general election....
in December 1832, but was unseated on petition in March 1833. He served under Lord Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the...
as Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies....
in 1834. The latter year Shaw-Lefevre was appointed a Poor Law Commissioner after the passing of the Poor Law Amendment Act, which he remained until 1841. Between 1856 and 1875 he served as Clerk of the Parliaments
Clerk of the Parliaments
The Clerk of the Parliaments is the chief clerk of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The position has existed since at least 1315, and duties include preparing the minutes of Lords proceedings, advising on proper parliamentary procedure and pronouncing the Royal Assent...
. He also helped found the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and served as its Vice-Chancellor for many years. He was made a KCB
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...
for his public services.
Shaw-Lefevre married Rachel Emily, daughter of Ichabod Wright, in 1824. They had one son, George
George Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Baron Eversley
George John Shaw-Lefevre, 1st Baron Eversley PC, DL was a British Liberal Party politician. In a ministerial career that spanned thirty years, he was twice First Commissioner of Works and also served as Postmaster General and President of the Local Government Board.-Background and...
, who became a prominent politician and was ennobled as Baron Eversley, and five daughters. Shaw-Lefevre died in August 1879, aged 82. His wife lived for six more years before dying in February 1885.