Thomas Phinn
Encyclopedia
Thomas Phinn a British barrister
and Liberal Party
politician who held various positions in the Admiralty
of the United Kingdom (the body governing the Royal Navy
) in the mid-nineteenth century.
Born in Bath, Somerset, Phinn was educated at Eton College
and Exeter College, Oxford
. He read for the bar at the Inner Temple
, being called in 1840. He was elected at the 1852 general election
as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bath
, but held that seat for only three years, until 1855. He was appointed Counsel
to the Admiralty and Judge Advocate of the Fleet
on 17 April 1854, and continued in that office until appointed Second Secretary to the Admiralty
on 22 May 1855, a post which required his resignation
from the House of Commons. He resigned from the Admiralty on 7 May 1857, but was re-appointed Counsel and Judge-Advocate on 12 November 1863, and held that post until his death on 31 October 1866, in London.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who held various positions in the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
of the United Kingdom (the body governing the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
) in the mid-nineteenth century.
Born in Bath, Somerset, Phinn was educated at Eton College
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 Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
. He read for the bar at the 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...
, being called in 1840. He was elected at the 1852 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1852
The July 1852 United Kingdom general election was a watershed election in the formation of the modern political parties of Britain. Following 1852, the Tory/Conservative party became, more completely, the party of the rural aristocracy, while the Whig/Liberal party became the party of the rising...
as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bath
Bath (UK Parliament constituency)
Bath is a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, previously of the House of Commons of England. It is an ancient constituency which has been constantly represented in Parliament since boroughs were first summoned to send members in the 13th century...
, but held that seat for only three years, until 1855. He was appointed Counsel
Counsel
A counsel or a counselor gives advice, more particularly in legal matters.-U.K. and Ireland:The legal system in England uses the term counsel as an approximate synonym for a barrister-at-law, and may apply it to mean either a single person who pleads a cause, or collectively, the body of barristers...
to the Admiralty and Judge Advocate of the Fleet
Judge Advocate of the Fleet
In the United Kingdom, the Judge Advocate of Her Majesty's Fleet was a civilian judge who was responsible for the supervision and superintendence of the court martial system in the Royal Navy...
on 17 April 1854, and continued in that office until appointed Second Secretary to the Admiralty
Second Secretary to the Admiralty
The office of Second Secretary to the Admiralty was a former government position in the Admiralty of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Assistants to the Secretary of the Admiralty were initially only intermittently appointed, being sometimes designated...
on 22 May 1855, a post which required his resignation
Resignation from the British House of Commons
Members of Parliament sitting in the House of Commons in the United Kingdom are technically forbidden to resign. To circumvent this prohibition, a legal fiction is used...
from the House of Commons. He resigned from the Admiralty on 7 May 1857, but was re-appointed Counsel and Judge-Advocate on 12 November 1863, and held that post until his death on 31 October 1866, in London.