Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
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The Right Honourable The Lord Denman PC, QC |
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|---|---|
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| Lord Chief Justice of England | |
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In office 1832–1850 |
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| Monarch |
William IV Victoria |
| Preceded by | The Lord Tenterden |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Campbell |
| Interim Chancellor of the Exchequer | |
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In office 14 November 1834 – 15 December 1834 |
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| Monarch | William IV |
| Prime Minister | The Duke of Wellington (interim) |
| Preceded by | Viscount Althorp |
| Succeeded by | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
23 July 1779 London |
| Died |
26 September 1854 (aged 75) Stoke Albany, Northamptonshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouse(s) | Theodosia Vevers (d. 1852) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman, PC QC (23 July 1779 – 26 September 1854) was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice between 1832 and 1850.
Denman was born in London, 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.
His success was rapid, and in a few years he attained a position at the bar second only to that of Henry Brougham 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. Unfortunately he made a notable gaffe when he compared the Queen to the Biblical woman taken in adultery, who was told to "go away and sin no more". This suggested that her counsel had no belief in the Queen's innocence, and produced the mocking satire:
"Most Gracious Queen, we thee implore
To go away and sin no more
Or if that effort be too great
To go away at any rate".
...
Wikipedia