John Lee (Attorney-General)
Encyclopedia
John Lee KC was an English lawyer, politician, and law officer of the Crown. He assisted in the early days of Unitarianism
in England.
and friend of Thomas Secker
, later Archbishop of Canterbury
. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
and joined the Northern Circuit
, where eventually he gained an equal share with James Wallace
of the leadership. He was a king's attorney and serjeant for the County Palatine of Lancaster from 1782 until his death.
In April 1769 he appeared before the House of Commons as counsel for the petitioners against the return of Colonel Henry Luttrell
for Middlesex
; the petition failed. The government offered him a seat in the house and the K.C. in 1769, and in 1770 K.C. with the appointment of solicitor-general to the queen, but he refused both offers on political grounds. On 18 September 1769 he became, however, recorder of Doncaster
. In 1779 he was one of the counsel for Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
when he was tried by court-martial for his conduct in the Battle of Ushant
. In 1780 Lee became a king's counsel, and in the second administration of Lord Rockingham
was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales
, and sat in parliament for Clitheroe
. Subsequently he was elected for Higham Ferrers
and sat for that constituency till he died.
In 1774 he played a crucial role in assisting Rev. Theophilus Lindsey
establish the first avowedly Unitarian
congregation in England. Lindsey, who had resigned his living in the north of England because of scruples of conscience, had moved to London to find a place to preach. At this point it was illegal to deny the doctrine of the Trinity
, and remained so until the passage of the 1813 Act
; however, the temper of the times allowed for some latitude, with care, and Lee knew just how to manage the matter. He persuaded the relevant justices to register the chapel at the Quarter Session, and attended Lindsey's inaugural sermon at Essex Street Chapel
with some satisfaction.
He resigned office on Rockingham's death, but returned to it under the Duke of Portland
, and on the death of Wallace at the end of 1783, he was promoted to be Attorney General for England and Wales
, and held the office till the Duke of Portland was dismissed. In politics he was a thoroughgoing party man. One of his maxims was, ‘Never speak well of a political enemy.’ John Wilkes
spoke of him as having been in the House of Commons ‘a most impudent dog,’; Nathaniel Wraxall called him coarse and abusive. At the bar he was known as ‘honest Jack Lee,’ was distinguished for his integrity, and amassed a large fortune. He died from cancer on 5 August 1793 and was buried at Staindrop, Durham, a seat which he obtained by his marriage with Miss Hutchinson, by whom he had one daughter.
History of Unitarianism
Unitarianism, both as a theology and as a denominational family of churches, was first defined and developed in England and America in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although theological ancestors are to be found in the Protestant Reformation and even as far back as the early days of...
in England.
Life
He was the youngest of ten children, and after his father died in 1736 he was principally brought up by his mother, a DissenterDissenter
The term dissenter , labels one who disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. In the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body who has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established Church.Originally, the term...
and friend of Thomas Secker
Thomas Secker
Thomas Secker , Archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Sibthorpe, Nottinghamshire.-Early life and studies:In 1699, Secker went to Richard Brown's free school in Chesterfield, staying with his half-sister and her husband, Elizabeth and Richard Milnes...
, later Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. He was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
and joined the Northern Circuit
Northern Circuit
The Northern Circuit dates from 1176 when Henry II sent his judges on circuit to do justice in his name. The Circuit encompassed the whole of the North of England but in 1876 it was divided. That part to the west of the Pennines retained the old name. The land to the east became the territory of...
, where eventually he gained an equal share with James Wallace
James Wallace (politician)
James Wallace was an English barrister, Member of Parliament, Solicitor General and Attorney General.-Life:The son of Thomas Wallace, of Asholme, Northumberland, attorney-at-law, Wallace was called to the Bar in 1757. In 1770, he was elected as one of the Members of Parliament for Horsham in Sussex...
of the leadership. He was a king's attorney and serjeant for the County Palatine of Lancaster from 1782 until his death.
In April 1769 he appeared before the House of Commons as counsel for the petitioners against the return of Colonel Henry Luttrell
Henry Luttrell, 2nd Earl of Carhampton
General Henry Lawes Luttrell, 2nd Earl of Carhampton PC was a politician and soldier.-Military career:Educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, Luttrell was commissioned into the 48th Regiment of Foot in 1757. In 1762, during the Seven Years' War, he became Deputy Adjutant-General...
for Middlesex
Middlesex (UK Parliament constituency)
Middlesex is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885....
; the petition failed. The government offered him a seat in the house and the K.C. in 1769, and in 1770 K.C. with the appointment of solicitor-general to the queen, but he refused both offers on political grounds. On 18 September 1769 he became, however, recorder of Doncaster
Doncaster
Doncaster is a town in South Yorkshire, England, and the principal settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster. The town is about from Sheffield and is popularly referred to as "Donny"...
. In 1779 he was one of the counsel for Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel
Admiral Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel PC was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the War of American Independence...
when he was tried by court-martial for his conduct in the Battle of Ushant
Battle of Ushant (1778)
The Battle of Ushant took place on 27 July 1778, during the American War of Independence, fought between French and British fleets 100 miles west of Ushant, a French island at the mouth of the English Channel off the north-westernmost point of France...
. In 1780 Lee became a king's counsel, and in the second administration of Lord Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, KG, PC , styled The Hon. Charles Watson-Wentworth before 1733, Viscount Higham between 1733 and 1746, Earl of Malton between 1746 and 1750 and The Earl Malton in 1750, was a British Whig statesman, most notable for his two terms as Prime...
was appointed 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...
, and sat in parliament for Clitheroe
Clitheroe (UK Parliament constituency)
Clitheroe was a parliamentary constituency in Lancashire.The town of Clitheroe was first enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1559, returning two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then to the House of Commons of Great Britain until 1800, and finally to the...
. Subsequently he was elected for Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers (UK Parliament constituency)
Higham Ferrers was a parliamentary borough in Northamptonshire, which was represented in the House of Commons from 1558 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act...
and sat for that constituency till he died.
In 1774 he played a crucial role in assisting Rev. Theophilus Lindsey
Theophilus Lindsey
Theophilus Lindsey was an English theologian and clergyman who founded the first avowedly Unitarian congregation in the country, at Essex Street Chapel.-Life:...
establish the first avowedly Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
congregation in England. Lindsey, who had resigned his living in the north of England because of scruples of conscience, had moved to London to find a place to preach. At this point it was illegal to deny the doctrine of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, and remained so until the passage of the 1813 Act
Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813
The Doctrine of the Trinity Act 1813 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
; however, the temper of the times allowed for some latitude, with care, and Lee knew just how to manage the matter. He persuaded the relevant justices to register the chapel at the Quarter Session, and attended Lindsey's inaugural sermon at Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel
Essex Street Chapel, also known as Essex Church, is a Unitarian place of worship in London. It was the first church in England set up with this doctrine, and was established at a time when Dissenters still faced legal threat...
with some satisfaction.
He resigned office on Rockingham's death, but returned to it under the Duke of Portland
William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland
William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, KG, PC was a British Whig and Tory statesman, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Prime Minister. He was known before 1762 by the courtesy title Marquess of Titchfield. He held a title of every degree of British nobility—Duke,...
, and on the death of Wallace at the end of 1783, he was promoted to be 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...
, and held the office till the Duke of Portland was dismissed. In politics he was a thoroughgoing party man. One of his maxims was, ‘Never speak well of a political enemy.’ John Wilkes
John Wilkes
John Wilkes was an English radical, journalist and politician.He was first elected Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlesex election dispute, he fought for the right of voters—rather than the House of Commons—to determine their representatives...
spoke of him as having been in the House of Commons ‘a most impudent dog,’; Nathaniel Wraxall called him coarse and abusive. At the bar he was known as ‘honest Jack Lee,’ was distinguished for his integrity, and amassed a large fortune. He died from cancer on 5 August 1793 and was buried at Staindrop, Durham, a seat which he obtained by his marriage with Miss Hutchinson, by whom he had one daughter.