Edward Christian

Edward Christian (3 March 1758 – 29 March 1823) was an English judge and law professor. He was the older brother of Fletcher Christian, leader of the Mutiny on the Bounty.

Edward Christian was one of the three sons of Charles Christian of Moorland Close and of the large Ewanrigg Hall estate in Dearham, Cumberland, an attorney-at-law descended from Manx gentry, and his wife Ann Dixon.

Charles's marriage to Ann brought with it the small property of Moorland Close, "a quadrangle pile of buildings ... half castle, half farmstead." Charles died in 1768 and Edward's mother Ann proved herself irresponsible with money. By 1779, Ann had run up a debt of nearly £6,500 (equal to £787,835 today), and faced the prospect of debtors' prison. Moorland Close was lost and Ann and her younger children were forced to flee to the Isle of Man, where English creditors had no power. The three elder Christian sons managed to arrange a £40 (equal to £4,848 today) per year annuity for their mother, allowing the family to live in genteel poverty. His mother Ann died on the Isle of Man in 1819.

Christian attended St Bees School and went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1775, but migrated to St John's College in 1777, graduating as third wrangler in 1779. While at Cambridge he forged a friendship with William Wilberforce. He was admitted to Gray's Inn on 5 July 1782. In 1788 Christian was appointed Downing Professor of the Laws of England, although the chair was only founded along with Downing College in 1800. He held the professorship in conjunction with a fellowship of Downing until his death in 1823. He was also law professor at the East India Company College from 1806 to 1818.

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