Kenelm Edward Digby
Encyclopedia
This article is about Kenelm Digby, the English lawyer and civil servant. For other people with the same name, see Kenelm Digby (disambiguation)
Sir Kenelm Edward Digby KCB, GCB, (9 September 1836 - 21 April 1916) was an English lawyer and civil servant. He was Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office
from 1895-1903.
Digby was born in Wootton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire, England, the son of Hon. and Revd. Kenelm Henry Digby (1811–1891) and his wife Caroline. The Digbys were an old-established county family from Dorset, with a strong tradition of public service. The Revd. Kenelm Henry Digby
was the younger brother of Edward Digby, 9th Baron Digby
) and Jane Digby.
Digby schooled at Blakeney in Norfolk and then at Harrow School
. He graduated in 1859 from Corpus Christi College Oxford, and was called to the bar as a member of Lincoln's Inn
in 1865. From 1868-1875 he taught at Oxford University, and published An Introduction to the History of the Law of Real Property in 1875, which soon became a standard textbook. He was a strong supporter of Gladstonian Liberalism
and believed in "the greater importance of giving substantial power to the working classes". Later in his life he was involved in working out fair and effective means of compensating workmen for industrial injuries.
In 1892 Digby was appointed County Court Judge in Derbyshire, and in 1891 he became a bencher of Lincoln's Inn and in 1904 took silk. In 1894 he was unexpectedly approached on behalf of the Liberal Home Secretary, H. H. Asquith
, about an appointment as Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office. However, a strong devotion to public duty weighed in the balance against his fears about his inexperience in administration and public office. In January 1895 Digby was appointed Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, succeeding Sir Godfrey Lushington
.
Digby was created KCB in 1898, retired in September 1903 and was created GCB in 1906. Over the subsequent ten years he sat as a member of numerous departmental committees of inquiry, chairing the Home Office departmental committee on workmen's compensation (1904), and acted as an arbitrator in labour disputes. In 1914 he was appointed a member of the commission to investigate alleged German war atrocities in Belgium
.
Digby married Caroline (1848–1926), second daughter of Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper
, the Liberal politician, on 30 August 1870. They had four children - two sons and two daughters. One of his grandchildren was Kenelm Hubert Digby
, the proposer of the notorious 1933 "King and Country" debate
in the Oxford Union
, and later Attorney General and judge in Sarawak
. Digby died on 21 April 1916 at Studland in Dorset.
Kenelm Digby (disambiguation)
Kenelm Digby may refer to:*Kenelm Digby , English MP and High Sheriff*Sir Kenelm Digby , English courtier, diplomat, natural philosopher, Roman Catholic intellectual and Blackloist....
Sir Kenelm Edward Digby KCB, GCB, (9 September 1836 - 21 April 1916) was an English lawyer and civil servant. He was Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
from 1895-1903.
Digby was born in Wootton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire, England, the son of Hon. and Revd. Kenelm Henry Digby (1811–1891) and his wife Caroline. The Digbys were an old-established county family from Dorset, with a strong tradition of public service. The Revd. Kenelm Henry Digby
Kenelm Henry Digby
This article is about Kenelm Digby, the Anglo-Irish writer. For other people with the same name, see Kenelm Digby Kenelm Henry Digby was an Anglo-Irish writer born at Clonfert in Ireland, though he certainly did not regard himself as Irish...
was the younger brother of Edward Digby, 9th Baron Digby
Edward Digby, 9th Baron Digby
Edward St Vincent Digby, 9th Baron Digby , also 3rd Baron Digby in the Peerage of Great Britain, was a British peer.-Biography:...
) and Jane Digby.
Digby schooled at Blakeney in Norfolk and then at Harrow School
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...
. He graduated in 1859 from Corpus Christi College Oxford, and was called to the bar as a member of 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...
in 1865. From 1868-1875 he taught at Oxford University, and published An Introduction to the History of the Law of Real Property in 1875, which soon became a standard textbook. He was a strong supporter of Gladstonian Liberalism
Gladstonian Liberalism
Gladstonian Liberalism is a political doctrine named after the British Victorian Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstonian Liberalism consisted of limited government expenditure and low taxation whilst making sure government had balanced budgets...
and believed in "the greater importance of giving substantial power to the working classes". Later in his life he was involved in working out fair and effective means of compensating workmen for industrial injuries.
In 1892 Digby was appointed County Court Judge in Derbyshire, and in 1891 he became a bencher of Lincoln's Inn and in 1904 took silk. In 1894 he was unexpectedly approached on behalf of the Liberal Home Secretary, H. H. Asquith
H. H. Asquith
Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, KG, PC, KC served as the Liberal Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916...
, about an appointment as Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office. However, a strong devotion to public duty weighed in the balance against his fears about his inexperience in administration and public office. In January 1895 Digby was appointed Permanent Under Secretary of State at the Home Office, succeeding Sir Godfrey Lushington
Godfrey Lushington
Sir Godfrey Lushington KCB, GCMG, , British civil servant and promoter of prison reform, was Permanent Under-Secretary of State of the Home Office of the United Kingdom from 1886 to 1895....
.
Digby was created KCB in 1898, retired in September 1903 and was created GCB in 1906. Over the subsequent ten years he sat as a member of numerous departmental committees of inquiry, chairing the Home Office departmental committee on workmen's compensation (1904), and acted as an arbitrator in labour disputes. In 1914 he was appointed a member of the commission to investigate alleged German war atrocities in Belgium
Committee on Alleged German Outrages
The Committee on Alleged German Outrages, often called the Bryce Committee after its chair, Viscount James Bryce , is best known for producing the "Report of the Committee on Alleged German Outrages" published on May 12, 1915...
.
Digby married Caroline (1848–1926), second daughter of Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper
Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper
Edward Strutt, 1st Baron Belper PC, FRS , was a British Liberal Party politician. He served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1852 to 1854 under Lord Aberdeen.-Background and education:...
, the Liberal politician, on 30 August 1870. They had four children - two sons and two daughters. One of his grandchildren was Kenelm Hubert Digby
Kenelm Hubert Digby
Kenelm Hubert Digby MBE was the proposer of the notorious 1933 "King and Country" debate in the Oxford Union, and later Attorney General and judge in Sarawak.-Biography:...
, the proposer of the notorious 1933 "King and Country" debate
The King and Country debate
The King and Country debate was a discussion at the Oxford Union debating society on 9 February 1933 of the resolution: "That this House will in no circumstances fight for its King and Country". It was passed by 275 votes to 153, and became one of the most well-known and notorious debates...
in the Oxford Union
Oxford Union
The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a debating society in the city of Oxford, Britain, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford...
, and later Attorney General and judge in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. Digby died on 21 April 1916 at Studland in Dorset.