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John Williams (English judge)

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Sir
John Williams
Williams in 1820
Born
(1777-02-10)10 February 1777
Died15 September 1846(1846-09-15) (aged 69)
NationalityEnglish
OccupationJudge
Known for

Sir John Williams QC (10 February 1777 – 15 September 1846) was an English Whig politician, lawyer and judge,[1] known for overseeing the 1830s trials of the Tolpuddle Martyrs (R v Lovelass and Others), and the Flash Female Button Makers Union.[2]

John Williams was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.[3] He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lincoln at a by-election in March 1822,[4][5] and held the seat until the 1826 general election, when he was returned on 9 June for Ilchester.[6] However, that result was overturned on 22 February 1827 after an election petition,[7] and Williams did not return to the House of Commons until February 1830, when he was returned for Winchelsea at a by-election.[8] He held that seat until the borough was disenfranchised at the 1832 general election.[9]

He was made a King's Counsel in Easter Term 1827.[10] On 28 February 1834 he was made a serjeant-at-law[11] and raised to the bench as one of the puisne barons of the Court of Exchequer, succeeding Sir John Bayley; he was knighted on 16 April 1834.[12] On 29 April 1834 he transferred to the Court of King's Bench as puisne justice, exchanging places with Sir James Parke.[1] He died on 14 September 1846 and was succeeded by Sir William Erle.[13]

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b Lee, Sidney, ed. (1900). "Williams, John (1777-1846)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 61. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  2. ^ Crime and Punishment in Staffordshire 2009.
  3. ^ "Williams, John (WLMS794J2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  4. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "L" (part 3)
  5. ^ Stooks Smith, Henry. (1973) [1844-1850]. Craig, F. W. S. (ed.). The Parliaments of England (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 203. ISBN 0-900178-13-2.
  6. ^ Stooks Smith, page 534
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "I"
  8. ^ Stooks Smith, page 559
  9. ^ Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs – Constituencies beginning with "W" (part 4)
  10. ^ Haydn 1890, p. 416.
  11. ^ Haydn 1890, p. 413.
  12. ^ Haydn 1890, p. 385.
  13. ^ Haydn 1890, p. 373.

Bibliography

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  • Crime and Punishment in Staffordshire. Staffordshire Arts and Museum Service. 2009.
  • Haydn, Joseph (1890). Ockerby, Horace (ed.). The Book of Dignities.
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Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lincoln
1822 – 1826
With: Robert Percy Smith
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Ilchester
March 1826 – June 1826
With: Richard Sharp
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Winchelsea
Feb 1830 – 1832
With: Viscount Howick to July 1830
Henry Dundas July 1830 – April 1831
Stephen Lushington April–July 1831
James Brougham from July 1831
Constituency abolished