Elijah Impey
Encyclopedia
Sir Elijah Impey was a British
judge
, at one time chief justice
of Bengal
and MP for New Romney.
He was born the youngest son of Elijah Impey and his wife Martha, daughter of James Fraser and was educated at Westminster School
with Warren Hastings
, who was his intimate friend throughout life. He proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1752, graduating in 1756 as the second Chancellor's classical medallist.
Having been called to the bar in 1756, in 1773 he was appointed the first chief justice of the new supreme court at Calcutta, and in 1775 presided at the trial of Maharaja Nandakumar, who was accused of forging a bond in an attempt to deprive a widow of more than half her inheritance. As a result of the trial he went down in history, because in 1787 he was subjected to impeachment
, along with Warren Hastings, for their conduct of the case. He was accused by Macaulay in the House of Commons
of conspiring with Hastings to commit a judicial murder by having unjustly hanged Nandakumar; but the whole question of the trial of Nuncomar was examined in detail by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen
, who stated that "no man ever had, or could have, a fairer trial than Nuncomar, and Impey in particular behaved with absolute fairness and as much indulgence as was compatible with his duty." According to Macaulay, Impey later applied English law so aggressively as to "throw a great country into the most dreadful confusion", until in effect bribed by Hastings to desist.
In 1790 Impey was returned to Parliament as the member for New Romney constituency
and spent the next seven years as an MP before retiring to Newick Park near Brighton He died there in 1809 and was buried in the family vault in Hammersmith, London. He had married on 18 January 1768 Mary, daughter of Sir John Reade, of Shipton Court, Oxfordshire; they had five sons.
In 1795 his application for a fellowship of the Royal Society
was rejected.
His wife, Lady Mary Impey, was the namesake of the Impeyan pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, at one time chief justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
and MP for New Romney.
He was born the youngest son of Elijah Impey and his wife Martha, daughter of James Fraser and was educated at Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
with Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings
Warren Hastings PC was the first Governor-General of India, from 1773 to 1785. He was famously accused of corruption in an impeachment in 1787, but was acquitted in 1795. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1814.-Early life:...
, who was his intimate friend throughout life. He proceeded to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1752, graduating in 1756 as the second Chancellor's classical medallist.
Having been called to the bar in 1756, in 1773 he was appointed the first chief justice of the new supreme court at Calcutta, and in 1775 presided at the trial of Maharaja Nandakumar, who was accused of forging a bond in an attempt to deprive a widow of more than half her inheritance. As a result of the trial he went down in history, because in 1787 he was subjected to impeachment
Impeachment of Warren Hastings
The Impeachment of Warren Hastings was a failed attempt to impeach the former Governor-General of India Warren Hastings in the Parliament of Great Britain between 1788 and 1795. Hastings was accused of misconduct during his time in Calcutta particularly relating to mismanagement and personal...
, along with Warren Hastings, for their conduct of the case. He was accused by Macaulay in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
of conspiring with Hastings to commit a judicial murder by having unjustly hanged Nandakumar; but the whole question of the trial of Nuncomar was examined in detail by Sir James Fitzjames Stephen
James Fitzjames Stephen
Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, 1st Baronet was an English lawyer, judge and writer. He was created 1st Baronet Stephen by Queen Victoria.-Early life:...
, who stated that "no man ever had, or could have, a fairer trial than Nuncomar, and Impey in particular behaved with absolute fairness and as much indulgence as was compatible with his duty." According to Macaulay, Impey later applied English law so aggressively as to "throw a great country into the most dreadful confusion", until in effect bribed by Hastings to desist.
In 1790 Impey was returned to Parliament as the member for New Romney constituency
New Romney (UK Parliament constituency)
New Romney was a parliamentary constituency in Kent, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1371 until 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
and spent the next seven years as an MP before retiring to Newick Park near Brighton He died there in 1809 and was buried in the family vault in Hammersmith, London. He had married on 18 January 1768 Mary, daughter of Sir John Reade, of Shipton Court, Oxfordshire; they had five sons.
In 1795 his application for a fellowship of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
was rejected.
His wife, Lady Mary Impey, was the namesake of the Impeyan pheasant (Lophophorus impejanus).
Further reading
- James Fitzjames Stephen, The Story of Nuncomar and the Impeachment of Sir Elijah Impey (1885).
- Memoirs of Sir Elijah Impey, Knt ... with anecdotes of Warren Hastings, Sir Philip Francis, Nathaniel Brassey Hallhed, Esq., and other contemporaries; (1846)
Sources
External links
- The story of Nuncomar and the impeachment of Sir Elijah Impey Cornell University Library Historical Monographs Collection. {Reprinted by} Cornell University Library Digital Collections