Thomas Graves Law
Encyclopedia
Thomas Graves Law was an English Oratorian priest, and later in life a historian and bibliographer.
. Born on 4 December 1836 at Yeovilton
in Somerset
, Law was third son and fourth of eight surviving children of William Towry Law (1809–1886), Lord Ellenborough's youngest son, by his first wife, Augusta Champagné (died 1844), fourth daughter of Thomas North Graves, 2nd Baron Graves. The eldest son Augustus Henry Law was a Jesuit missionary, and the second son, General Francis Towry Adeane Law, C.B. (1835–1901), saw much military service. The father originally served in the Grenadier guards, but in 1831 had taken orders in the Church of England, and at the time of his son's birth was rector of Yeovilton and chancellor of the diocese of Bath and Wells
, of which his kinsman George Henry Law
was bishop.
On the death of his mother in 1844, Law was sent to school at Somerton
, but in the following year, after his father had moved to the living of Harborne
in Staffordshire
, he was successively sent to St. Edmund's School, Birmingham, and (as founder's kin) to Winchester College
, then under George Moberly
. In 1851 his father joined the Roman Catholic Church
, so that Thomas left Winchester. In 1852 he studied at University College, London, where he had Augustus De Morgan
and Francis Newman
among his teachers, and in 1853 he entered Stonyhurst College
. His father obtained for him a cadetship in the military service of the East India Company
. In 1855, however, under the influence of his father's friend, Frederick William Faber, he entered the Brompton Oratory, London, where he was ordained priest in 1860. He remained in the Oratory till 1878, when, owing to a loss of his faith in the teaching of the Catholic Church, he left its communion.
In 1879 Law was appointed keeper of the Signet Library in Edinburgh
, and there he passed the remainder of his life. He was one of the founders, in 1886, of the Scottish History Society
, and acted as its honorary secretary. In 1898 the University of Edinburgh made him hon. LL.D. After a long illness he died at his home at Duddingston, near Edinburgh, on 12 March 1904. Law was married on 15 April 1880 to Wilhelmina Frederica, daughter of Captain Allen of Errol, Perthshire, by his wife Lady Henrietta Dundas, and left one son, Duncan, and five daughters.
he contributed sixteen articls, including those of David Laing
, Edmund Law
, Robert Parsons, and Nicholas Sanders
. For the Camden Society
he edited ‘The Archpriest Controversy,’ 2 vols. (1896–8); and for the Scottish Text Society, ‘Catholic Tractates of the Sixteenth Century,’ 1901, and ‘The New Testament in Scots,’ 3 vols. (1901–3). In Scottish history he edited ‘Archbishop Hamilton's Catechism,’ with a preface by William Gladstone (Oxford, 1884), and a chapter on Mary Stuart
in the Cambridge Modern History
vol. iii.
Life
He was a grandson of Edward Law, 1st Earl of EllenboroughEdward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough
Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough GCB, PC was a British Tory politician. He was four times President of the Board of Control and also served as Governor-General of India between 1842 and 1844.-Background and education:...
. Born on 4 December 1836 at Yeovilton
Yeovilton
Yeovilton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated east of Ilchester, north of Yeovil, in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of approximately 670....
in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, Law was third son and fourth of eight surviving children of William Towry Law (1809–1886), Lord Ellenborough's youngest son, by his first wife, Augusta Champagné (died 1844), fourth daughter of Thomas North Graves, 2nd Baron Graves. The eldest son Augustus Henry Law was a Jesuit missionary, and the second son, General Francis Towry Adeane Law, C.B. (1835–1901), saw much military service. The father originally served in the Grenadier guards, but in 1831 had taken orders in the Church of England, and at the time of his son's birth was rector of Yeovilton and chancellor of the diocese of Bath and Wells
Diocese of Bath and Wells
The Diocese of Bath and Wells is a diocese in the Church of England Province of Canterbury in England.The diocese covers the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in the tiny city of...
, of which his kinsman George Henry Law
George Henry Law
George Henry Law was the Bishop of Chester and then, from 1824, Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was the son of Edmund Law, Bishop of Carlisle....
was bishop.
On the death of his mother in 1844, Law was sent to school at Somerton
Somerton
Somerton is a small town and civil parish in the South Somerset district of the English county of Somerset. It gave its name to the county of Somerset, was briefly, around the start of the 14th century, the county town, and around 900 AD was possibly the capital of Wessex...
, but in the following year, after his father had moved to the living of Harborne
Harborne
Harborne is an area three miles southwest from Birmingham city centre, England. It is a Birmingham City Council ward in the formal district and in the parliamentary constituency of Birmingham Edgbaston.- Geography :...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, he was successively sent to St. Edmund's School, Birmingham, and (as founder's kin) to Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, then under George Moberly
George Moberly
George Moberly , English divine, was educated at Winchester and Balliol College, Oxford.After a distinguished academic career he became head master of Winchester in 1835. This post he resigned in 1866, and retired to the Rectory of St. Mary's Church, Brighstone, Isle of Wight, he was also a Canon...
. In 1851 his father joined the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, so that Thomas left Winchester. In 1852 he studied at University College, London, where he had Augustus De Morgan
Augustus De Morgan
Augustus De Morgan was a British mathematician and logician. He formulated De Morgan's laws and introduced the term mathematical induction, making its idea rigorous. The crater De Morgan on the Moon is named after him....
and Francis Newman
Francis Newman
Francis Newman was an English colonist in America and Governor of the New Haven Colony in 1658-59. He was born in England and emigrated to New Hampshire in 1634, but shortly thereafter removed to the Connecticut valley and became prominent in the affairs of the colony at New Haven.In 1653, he was...
among his teachers, and in 1853 he entered Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
. His father obtained for him a cadetship in the military service of the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
. In 1855, however, under the influence of his father's friend, Frederick William Faber, he entered the Brompton Oratory, London, where he was ordained priest in 1860. He remained in the Oratory till 1878, when, owing to a loss of his faith in the teaching of the Catholic Church, he left its communion.
In 1879 Law was appointed keeper of the Signet Library in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and there he passed the remainder of his life. He was one of the founders, in 1886, of the Scottish History Society
Scottish History Society
The Scottish History Society, also referred to as the Scottish Historical Society, was founded in 1886, as part of the late 19th-century revival in interest in Scottish national identity...
, and acted as its honorary secretary. In 1898 the University of Edinburgh made him hon. LL.D. After a long illness he died at his home at Duddingston, near Edinburgh, on 12 March 1904. Law was married on 15 April 1880 to Wilhelmina Frederica, daughter of Captain Allen of Errol, Perthshire, by his wife Lady Henrietta Dundas, and left one son, Duncan, and five daughters.
Works
Law's main historical interests lay in the sixteenth century, and its religious and ecclesiastical aspects. His major work is ‘The Conflicts between Jesuits and Seculars in the reign of Queen Elizabeth’ (1889). He also wrote many reviews and articles, some of which are in ‘Collected Essays and Reviews of Thomas Graves Law, LL.D.’ (Edinburgh, 1904). To the Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National Biography
The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
he contributed sixteen articls, including those of David Laing
David Laing (Scottish antiquary)
David Laing was a Scottish antiquary.The son of William Laing, a bookseller in Edinburgh, where he was born, he was educated at the Canongate Grammar School. At fourteen he was apprenticed to his father. Shortly after the death of the latter in 1837, Laing was elected to the librarianship of the...
, Edmund Law
Edmund Law
Edmund Law was a priest in the Church of England. He served as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, as Knightbridge Professor of Philosophy in the University of Cambridge from 1764 to 1769, and as bishop of Carlisle from 1768 to 1787....
, Robert Parsons, and Nicholas Sanders
Nicholas Sanders
Nicholas Sanders was an English Roman Catholic priest and polemicist.-Early life:Sanders was born at Chariwood , Surrey, the son of William Sanders, once sheriff of Surrey, who was descended from the Sanders of Sanderstead...
. For the Camden Society
Camden Society
The Camden Society, named after the English antiquary and historian William Camden, was founded in 1838 in London to publish early historical and literary materials, both unpublished manuscripts and new editions of rare printed books....
he edited ‘The Archpriest Controversy,’ 2 vols. (1896–8); and for the Scottish Text Society, ‘Catholic Tractates of the Sixteenth Century,’ 1901, and ‘The New Testament in Scots,’ 3 vols. (1901–3). In Scottish history he edited ‘Archbishop Hamilton's Catechism,’ with a preface by William Gladstone (Oxford, 1884), and a chapter on Mary Stuart
Mary Stuart
-People:*Mary Stewart, Countess of Buchan , fifth daughter of James I of Scotland, 1st Countess of Buchan*Mary, Queen of Scots , queen regnant of Scotland, wife of Francis II of France and mother of James I of England...
in the Cambridge Modern History
Cambridge Modern History
The Cambridge Modern History is a comprehensive modern history of the world, beginning with the 15th century age of Discovery, published by the Cambridge University Press in the United Kingdom and also in the United States....
vol. iii.