Charles James Watkin Williams
Encyclopedia
Charles James Watkin Williams (23 September 1828 – 17 July 1884) was a Welsh judge, doctor and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
, Denbighshire
, and his wife Lydia Sophia Price, daughter of the Rev. James Price of Plas-yn-Lysfaen, Denbighshire. After leaving Ruthin
grammar school he studied medicine under John Eric Erichsen
at University College Hospital
, where he won the gold medal for comparative anatomy, and acted for a time as house-surgeon. He became the lifelong friend of Sir Henry Thompson
and Sir John Russell Reynolds.
But he soon decided to abandon medicine for law. He spent a few terms at St. Mary Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated on 1 May 1851, but never graduated. In the same year (1851) he entered at the Middle Temple
, and read in the chambers of Horatio Lloyd, known as a special pleader
. When called to the bar three years later, he practised in the same branch of the profession, and in 1857 published An Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Pleading in Civil Actions in the Supreme Courts of Law at Westminster. This work established his reputation and brought him large practice. It continued in use as the standard text-book for students at the Inns of Court till the passing of the Judicature Acts. In 1859 Williams was named ‘tubman’ of the Court of Exchequer
.
He went first the home circuit, and afterwards the south-eastern. He took silk in 1873. He made a speciality of financial and mercantile cases, such as that of Anderson v. Morice in 1876. In Thomas v. The Queen, in which he had Sir John Holker, Sir Richard Baggallay, and Charles Synge Christopher Bowen against him, Williams vindicated the title of the subject to sue the crown for unliquidated damages resulting from breach of contract.
At the 1868 general election
Williams was elected Liberal Member of Parliament
for the Denbigh Boroughs
. He sat for that constituency till 1880. As early as 1854 he had published a pamphlet on the Law of Church Rates, and, though himself a churchman, he on 24 May 1870 moved a resolution in the House of Commons in favour of Welsh disestablishment. The motion was opposed by William Gladstone, and lost by 209 against 45 votes. In 1875 Williams served as a member of Sir Henry James's committee on foreign loans. At the 1880 general election
he was elected for Caernarvonshire
. When Gladstone returned to office in 1880, he was offered but declined the post of judge-advocate-general. However a few months later he gave up his seat when he was appointed a judge.
In November 1880, on the promotion of Sir Robert Lush
to a lord-justiceship, his son-in-law, Williams, was appointed to the vacant puisne judgeship, even though he had recently made a public declaration that he would never accept such an office. He concurred in the judgment of the crown cases reserved in upholding the conviction of Most in connection with the murder of Alexander II of Russia
. In Sanders v. Richardson he decided that a parent who sends a child to school without fee is liable to legal penalty. His judgment in the case of privilege of counsel (Munster v. Lamb), when he nonsuited the plaintiff, was upheld by the superior courts. To the council of judges Williams submitted a paper advocating the abolition of distinctions between the common pleas and exchequer divisions, but the retention of the chiefships. He publicly repudiated their decisions announced in November 1881, declaring that nothing less than an act of parliament should ever induce him to deprive a prisoner of the right of making a statement to a jury of facts not given in evidence. Williams sat with Mr. Justice Mathew as the tribunal of commerce.
Williams died suddenly of heart disease at the age of 55 at Nottingham, where he was on circuit with Mr. Justice Lopes
. 'Suddenly of heart disease' euphemistically describes his demise in one of the town's brothels on Forman St. A contemporary Nottingham memorial card reported that he 'departed this life suddenly at Mrs. Salmands', and noted that 'in eight feet deep of solid earth Sir Watkin Williams lies. He lost his breath, which caused his death, 'twixt Nellie Blankey's thighs'. He was buried at Kensal Green cemetery
on 22 July 1884.
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 sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.
Life
Williams was the eldest son of Peter Williams, rector of LlansannanLlansannan
Llansannan is a rural village in Conwy County Borough, Wales.thumb|500px|Llansannan- Location :It lies on the bank of the River Aled and is about 8 miles to the south of Abergele and to the west of Denbigh...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, and his wife Lydia Sophia Price, daughter of the Rev. James Price of Plas-yn-Lysfaen, Denbighshire. After leaving Ruthin
Ruthin
Ruthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
grammar school he studied medicine under John Eric Erichsen
John Eric Erichsen
Sir John Eric Erichsen, 1st Baronet was a British surgeon, born in Copenhagen, was the son of Eric Erichsen, a member of a well-known Danish banking family....
at University College Hospital
University College Hospital
University College Hospital is a teaching hospital located in London, United Kingdom. It is part of the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and is closely associated with University College London ....
, where he won the gold medal for comparative anatomy, and acted for a time as house-surgeon. He became the lifelong friend of Sir Henry Thompson
Sir Henry Thompson, 1st Baronet
Sir Henry Thompson, 1st Baronet FRCS , British surgeon and polymath, was born at Framlingham, Suffolk.-Medical career:...
and Sir John Russell Reynolds.
But he soon decided to abandon medicine for law. He spent a few terms at St. Mary Hall, Oxford, where he matriculated on 1 May 1851, but never graduated. In the same year (1851) he entered at the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, and read in the chambers of Horatio Lloyd, known as a special pleader
Special pleader
A special pleader was a historial legal occupation. The practitioner, or "special pleader" in English law specialised in drafting "pleadings", in modern terminology statements of case.-History:...
. When called to the bar three years later, he practised in the same branch of the profession, and in 1857 published An Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Pleading in Civil Actions in the Supreme Courts of Law at Westminster. This work established his reputation and brought him large practice. It continued in use as the standard text-book for students at the Inns of Court till the passing of the Judicature Acts. In 1859 Williams was named ‘tubman’ of the Court of Exchequer
Court of Exchequer
Court of Exchequer may refer to:*Exchequer of Pleas, an ancient English court, that ceased to exist independently in the late nineteenth century...
.
He went first the home circuit, and afterwards the south-eastern. He took silk in 1873. He made a speciality of financial and mercantile cases, such as that of Anderson v. Morice in 1876. In Thomas v. The Queen, in which he had Sir John Holker, Sir Richard Baggallay, and Charles Synge Christopher Bowen against him, Williams vindicated the title of the subject to sue the crown for unliquidated damages resulting from breach of contract.
At the 1868 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1868
The 1868 United Kingdom general election was the first after passage of the Reform Act 1867, which enfranchised many male householders, thus greatly increasing the number of men who could vote in elections in the United Kingdom...
Williams was elected Liberal Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Denbigh Boroughs
Denbigh Boroughs (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbigh District of Boroughs was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Denbigh in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the British House of Commons.The constituency first returned an MP in 1542, to the English Parliament...
. He sat for that constituency till 1880. As early as 1854 he had published a pamphlet on the Law of Church Rates, and, though himself a churchman, he on 24 May 1870 moved a resolution in the House of Commons in favour of Welsh disestablishment. The motion was opposed by William Gladstone, and lost by 209 against 45 votes. In 1875 Williams served as a member of Sir Henry James's committee on foreign loans. At the 1880 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1880
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987* British Electoral Facts 1832-1999, compiled and edited by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher *...
he was elected for Caernarvonshire
Caernarvonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Caernarvonshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885 and from 1918 until 1950. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post...
. When Gladstone returned to office in 1880, he was offered but declined the post of judge-advocate-general. However a few months later he gave up his seat when he was appointed a judge.
In November 1880, on the promotion of Sir Robert Lush
Robert Lush
Sir Robert Lush was an English judge who served on many Commissions and Committees of Judges.Born at Shaftesbury, he was educated at Gray's Inn before being called to the Bar in 1840. He earned a reputation as a sound and acute barrister, specially familiar with procedure. He was appointed QC in...
to a lord-justiceship, his son-in-law, Williams, was appointed to the vacant puisne judgeship, even though he had recently made a public declaration that he would never accept such an office. He concurred in the judgment of the crown cases reserved in upholding the conviction of Most in connection with the murder of Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II of Russia
Alexander II , also known as Alexander the Liberator was the Emperor of the Russian Empire from 3 March 1855 until his assassination in 1881...
. In Sanders v. Richardson he decided that a parent who sends a child to school without fee is liable to legal penalty. His judgment in the case of privilege of counsel (Munster v. Lamb), when he nonsuited the plaintiff, was upheld by the superior courts. To the council of judges Williams submitted a paper advocating the abolition of distinctions between the common pleas and exchequer divisions, but the retention of the chiefships. He publicly repudiated their decisions announced in November 1881, declaring that nothing less than an act of parliament should ever induce him to deprive a prisoner of the right of making a statement to a jury of facts not given in evidence. Williams sat with Mr. Justice Mathew as the tribunal of commerce.
Williams died suddenly of heart disease at the age of 55 at Nottingham, where he was on circuit with Mr. Justice Lopes
Henry Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow
Henry Charles Lopes, 1st Baron Ludlow PC, QC , was a British judge and Conservative Party politician.-Background and education:...
. 'Suddenly of heart disease' euphemistically describes his demise in one of the town's brothels on Forman St. A contemporary Nottingham memorial card reported that he 'departed this life suddenly at Mrs. Salmands', and noted that 'in eight feet deep of solid earth Sir Watkin Williams lies. He lost his breath, which caused his death, 'twixt Nellie Blankey's thighs'. He was buried at Kensal Green cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
on 22 July 1884.