Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
Encyclopedia
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman PC KC (23 July 1779 – 26 September 1854) was a British
lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice
between 1832 and 1850.
, the son of Dr Thomas Denman
. In his fourth year he attended Palgrave Academy
in Suffolk, where his education was supervised by Anna Laetitia Barbauld
and her husband. He continued to Eton
and St John's College, Cambridge
, where he graduated in 1800. In 1806 he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
, and at once entered upon practice.
and James Scarlett
. He distinguished himself by his defence of the Luddites; but his most brilliant appearance was as one of the counsel for Queen Caroline
. His speech before the House of Lords
was very powerful, and some competent judges even considered it not inferior to Brougham's. It contained one or two daring passages, which made the King
his bitter enemy, and retarded his legal promotion.
At the general election of 1818 he was returned Member of Parliament for Wareham
, and at once took his seat with the Whig opposition. In the following year he was returned for Nottingham
, which seat he represented until 1826 and again from 1830 until his elevation to the bench in 1832. His liberal principles had caused his exclusion from office till in 1822 he was appointed Common Serjeant of London
by the corporation of London
. In 1830 he was made Attorney General
under Lord Grey's
administration. Two years later he was made Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench
, and in 1834 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Denman, of Dovedale in the County of Derby. As a judge he is best remembered for his decision in the important privilege case of Stockdale v. Hansard
(9 Ad. & El. I.; II Ad. & El. 253). In 1850 he resigned his chief justiceship and retired into private life. He was a Governor of the Charter House
, and a Vice-President of the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy
.
. He died at Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire aged 75, and was succeeded in the barony by his son Thomas.
One son, Joseph Denman
, was a British Naval officer and another, George Denman
, was an MP and High Court Judge.
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...
lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
between 1832 and 1850.
Background and education
Denman was born in LondonLondon
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...
, the son of Dr Thomas Denman
Thomas Denman (physician)
Thomas Denman, the elder, M.D. was an English physician. He was the second son of John Denman , an apothecary born at Bakewell, Derbyshire, on 27 June 1733. After a career in naval medicine he made a considerable amount of money in midwifery...
. In his fourth year he attended Palgrave Academy
Palgrave Academy
Palgrave Academy was an early dissenting academy, that is, a school or college set up by English Dissenters. It was run from 1774-1785 in Palgrave, Suffolk by the married couple Anna Laetitia Barbauld and her husband Rochemont Barbauld, a minister...
in Suffolk, where his education was supervised by Anna Laetitia Barbauld
Anna Laetitia Barbauld
Anna Laetitia Barbauld was a prominent English poet, essayist, literary critic, editor, and children's author.A "woman of letters" who published in multiple genres, Barbauld had a successful writing career at a time when female professional writers were rare...
and her husband. He continued to Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, where he graduated in 1800. In 1806 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 at once entered upon practice.
Legal and judicial career
His success was rapid, and in a few years he attained a position at the bar second only to that of Henry BroughamHenry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux was a British statesman who became Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.As a young lawyer in Scotland Brougham helped to found the Edinburgh Review in 1802 and contributed many articles to it. He went to London, and was called to the English bar in...
and James Scarlett
James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger
James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger was an English lawyer, politician and judge.-Background and education:...
. He distinguished himself by his defence of the Luddites; but his most brilliant appearance was as one of the counsel for Queen Caroline
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
. His speech before the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
was very powerful, and some competent judges even considered it not inferior to Brougham's. It contained one or two daring passages, which made the King
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
his bitter enemy, and retarded his legal promotion.
At the general election of 1818 he was returned Member of Parliament for Wareham
Wareham (UK Parliament constituency)
Wareham was a parliamentary borough in Dorset, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1302 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.-History:...
, and at once took his seat with the Whig opposition. In the following year he was returned for Nottingham
Nottingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Nottingham was a parliamentary borough in Nottinghamshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1295. In 1885 the constituency was abolished and the city of Nottingham divided into three single-member constituencies....
, which seat he represented until 1826 and again from 1830 until his elevation to the bench in 1832. His liberal principles had caused his exclusion from office till in 1822 he was appointed Common Serjeant of London
Common Serjeant of London
The Common Serjeant of London is an ancient British legal office, first recorded in 1317, and is the second most senior permanent judge of the Central Criminal Court after the Recorder of London, acting as deputy to that office, and sitting as a judge in the trial of criminal offences.The Common...
by the corporation of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. In 1830 he was made Attorney General
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...
under Lord Grey's
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...
administration. Two years later he was made Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench
Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the head of the judiciary and President of the Courts of England and Wales. Historically, he was the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, but that changed as a result of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005,...
, and in 1834 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Denman, of Dovedale in the County of Derby. As a judge he is best remembered for his decision in the important privilege case of Stockdale v. Hansard
Stockdale v. Hansard
Stockdale v Hansard 9 Ad & El 1 was a case in which the Parliament of the United Kingdom unsuccessfully challenged the common law of parliamentary privilege, leading to legislative reform.-Facts:...
(9 Ad. & El. I.; II Ad. & El. 253). In 1850 he resigned his chief justiceship and retired into private life. He was a Governor of the Charter House
London Charterhouse
The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square. The Charterhouse began as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 and dissolved in 1537...
, and a Vice-President of the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy
Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy
The Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy is a charity founded in 1655 which provides financial support to clergy of the Church of England.The Corporation was established in 1655 in response to the distress of the large number of clergymen who were dispossessed of their livings under the regime of...
.
Family
Lord Denman married Theodosia Anne, daughter of Reverend Richard Vevers, in 1804. His Derbyshire seat was Middleton Hall, Stoney MiddletonMiddleton Hall, Stoney Middleton
Middleton Hall is a restored 17th century country house at Stoney Middleton, Derbyshire. It is a Grade II listed building.The house was built in the mid 17th century for Robert Ashton whose son sold it to Edward Finney in 1690...
. He died at Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire aged 75, and was succeeded in the barony by his son Thomas.
One son, Joseph Denman
Joseph Denman
Rear Admiral Joseph Denman was a British naval officer, most noted for his actions against the slave trade as a commander of HMS Wanderer of the West Africa Squadron.-Early Life:...
, was a British Naval officer and another, George Denman
George Denman
The Honourable George Denman PC, QC was an English rower, barrister, Liberal politician and High Court judge....
, was an MP and High Court Judge.
Cases
- Williams v. Carwardine (1833) 4 B. & Ad. 621
- Stockdale v. HansardStockdale v. HansardStockdale v Hansard 9 Ad & El 1 was a case in which the Parliament of the United Kingdom unsuccessfully challenged the common law of parliamentary privilege, leading to legislative reform.-Facts:...
9 Ad. & El. I.; II Ad. & El. 253 - O’Connell v The Queen [1844] 11 Cl. & Fin. 155