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William Whateley (barrister)

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William Whateley QC (2 November 1794[1] – 15 November 1862) was an English barrister. He was noted as a supporter of the Conservative Party and the Church of England.[2]

Life

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He was born in Birmingham,[3] the second son of William Whateley, a solicitor from Birmingham and Handsworth, and his wife, Mary. The solicitor and coroner, John Welchman Whateley (1792–1874) was his elder brother.[4][5] His youngest sister, Caroline, married James Traill.[6] A George Whateley, of Waterloo Street, Birmingham, appearing in 1846 before a parliamentary committee on the voting system, referred to "Mr. William Whateley of the Oxford circuit" as his brother.[7]

In November 1813, aged 19, Whateley was admitted to Lincoln's Inn.[8] He matriculated at New College, Oxford in 1815 aged 21, graduating B.A. in 1820, M.A. in 1825. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1825, and then went the Oxford circuit.[9][2] In 1826 he represented one of the candidates in the Oxfordshire parliamentary election, and was noted there by John Marriott Davenport for his "platitudes and wit". He became Leader of the Oxford circuit.[10] In 1841, he became a bencher of the Inner Temple, and a Queen's Counsel.[9]

In 1847, Whateley stood as a Conservative parliamentary candidate, in South Shields, but was defeated by John Twizell Wawn, the Liberal.[2][11] Again, in the 1852 United Kingdom general election, he stood as the Conservative candidate for Bath, but was unsuccessful against two Whigs, Thomas Phinn and George Treweeke Scobell.[12]

As Treasurer of the Inner Temple, Whateley gave evidence in 1854 to a parliamentary committee looking into the Inns of Court.[13] Asked about the importance of Latin and Greek for barristers, he stated "I believe that it is of great importance to the Profession to make it a gentleman's profession, and to make its foundation a liberal education."[14] He was recorder of Shrewsbury, and at times sat as a judge in assize courts.[4][2]

Whateley died on 15 November 1862, at Park Street, Westminster, aged 68.[15] His library was sold by Puttick & Simpson, over four days in 1863.[16]

Family

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Portrait by John Hoppner, believed to be of Lady Elizabeth Spencer-Churchill, later Elizabeth Whateley

Whateley married in 1834 Elizabeth Martha Nares, daughter of the Rev. Edward Nares, as her second husband; she had previously been married to the Rev. Lord George Henry Spencer-Churchill (1796–1828), son of the George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough.[17] He was appointed (1841) one of those superintending the repair of Blenheim Palace, under an act of parliament.[18]

The Whateley family solicitors' business, which had become the largest in Birmingham, was sold in 1873 by John Whateley, brother to George, to Robert Harding Milward (1837–1903).[19][20]

References

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  1. ^ Birmingham, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
  2. ^ a b c d Law Times, the Journal and Record of the Law and Lawyers. Office of The Law times. 1863. p. 49.
  3. ^ 1861 England Census
  4. ^ a b Inner Temple (London) (1883). Masters of the Bench of the Hon. Society of the Inner Temple, 1450-1883, and Masters of the Temple, 1540-1883. W. Clowes & Sons, Ltd. p. 105.
  5. ^ The Solicitors' Journal and Reporter. Law Newspaper Company. 1875. p. 128.
  6. ^ Traill, William (1883). "A Genealogical Account of the Traills of Orkney". Internet Archive. Kirkwall: J. Calder. p. 66. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  7. ^ Parliamentary Papers. H.M. Stationery Office. 1846. p. 9.
  8. ^ The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn (1896). "Admissions Registers 1800-1893 & Chapel Registers". Internet Archive. Lincoln's Inn. p. 53. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  9. ^ a b s:Alumni Oxonienses: the Members of the University of Oxford, 1715-1886/Whateley, William
  10. ^ Davenport, John Marriott (1869). "Oxfordshire Annals". Internet Archive. Oxford: Printed by E.W. Morris, jun. p. 115. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  11. ^ Ollivier, John (1847). Ollivier's Parliamentary Register of Contested Elections, contrasting the returns of 1841 et seq. with 1847. p. 26. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  12. ^ Green, Emanuel (1902). "Bibliotheca Somersetensis: A Catalogue of Books, Pamphlets, Single Sheets, and Broadsides". Internet Archive. Taunton: Barnicott & Pearce. p. 163. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  13. ^ jurisprudence, Great Britain. Commissioners appointed to inquire into the arrangements in the Inns of court and Inns of chancery for promoting the study of law and (1855). Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Arrangements in the Inns of Court and Inns of Chancery, for Promoting the Study of the Law and Jurisprudence; Together with Appendices: Presented to Both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. G.E. Eyre and W. Spottiswoode, for H.M. Stationery Office. p. 47. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  14. ^ jurisprudence, Great Britain. Commissioners appointed to inquire into the arrangements in the Inns of court and Inns of chancery for promoting the study of law and (1855). Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Arrangements in the Inns of Court and Inns of Chancery, for Promoting the Study of the Law and Jurisprudence; Together with Appendices: Presented to Both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. G.E. Eyre and W. Spottiswoode, for H.M. Stationery Office. p. 55. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  15. ^ The Solicitors' Journal & Reporter. Law Newspaper Company. 1863. p. 54.
  16. ^ Catalogues of Items for Auction by Messrs. Puttick and Simpson, 1840-1870. 1840.
  17. ^ Debrett, John (1836). Debrett's Peerage of England, Scotland, and Ireland. [Another]. p. 17. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
  18. ^ The Gentleman's Magazine (London, England). F. Jefferies. 1841. p. 421.
  19. ^ Cannadine, David (1980). Lords and Landlords: The Aristocracy and the Towns, 1774-1967. Leicester University Press. p. 142. ISBN 9780718511524.
  20. ^ Shakespeare, Nicholas (30 September 2010). Bruce Chatwin. Random House. p. 30. ISBN 9781407074337. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
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