Harry Trelawney Eve
Encyclopedia
Rt. Hon Sir Harry Trelawney Eve (13 October 1856 – 10 December 1940) was an English barrister
, judge
and Liberal Party
politician.
. He was the only son of Thomas Eve, a Jamaica
merchant. He was educated privately and at Exeter College, Oxford
where he gained his BA
degree in 1876 and his MA
in 1883. On 24 June 1879 Eve married Beatrice Wright, daughter of Henry Strangways Hounsell, a medical doctor from Torquay
. They had one son (who was killed in action in 1917) and two daughters.
of Lincoln’s Inn in 1899. In 1907 he was appointed to be a judge in the Chancery Division and he served in that capacity until 1937 when he retired. He was asked to sit in the Court of Appeal on many occasions but was never promoted to sit there permanently.
Eve was also a farmer. He owned land in Devon and farmed it professionally. He was particularly interested in the breeding of South Devon cattle. He listed farming as a recreation in Who’s Who and was member of the Farming Club.
Eve had other business and financial interests too. In 1907 he was elected as a director of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
in Devon
to become their candidate in the by-election
caused by the death of the sitting Liberal MP, Charles Seale-Hayne
. He won the seat and represented Ashburton
until 1907 when he resigned to take up his appointment as a judge.
for the county of Devon in 1903. In 1907 he was elected an honorary fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, and was knighted in the same year. He retired from the bench in 1937 for reasons of declining health and was sworn in as a member of the privy council
.
, Surrey
, on 10 December 1940 at the age of 84 years.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, 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...
and Liberal Party
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.
Family and education
Harry Trelawney Eve was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was the only son of Thomas Eve, a Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
merchant. He was educated privately and at Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
where he gained his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in 1876 and his MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1883. On 24 June 1879 Eve married Beatrice Wright, daughter of Henry Strangways Hounsell, a medical doctor from Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. They had one son (who was killed in action in 1917) and two daughters.
Career
Eve went in for the law. He was called to the bar at Lincoln’s Inn in 1881, practised at the Chancery Bar and took silk in 1895. He became a bencherBencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
of Lincoln’s Inn in 1899. In 1907 he was appointed to be a judge in the Chancery Division and he served in that capacity until 1937 when he retired. He was asked to sit in the Court of Appeal on many occasions but was never promoted to sit there permanently.
Eve was also a farmer. He owned land in Devon and farmed it professionally. He was particularly interested in the breeding of South Devon cattle. He listed farming as a recreation in Who’s Who and was member of the Farming Club.
Eve had other business and financial interests too. In 1907 he was elected as a director of the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
Politics
In 1904, Eve accepted the invitation of the Liberal Party in AshburtonAshburton, Devon
Ashburton is a small town on the edge of Dartmoor in Devon, adjacent to the A38 Devon Expressway.It was formerly important as a stannary town , and remains the largest town within the National Park, with a population of around 3,500...
in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
to become their candidate in the by-election
Ashburton by-election, 1904
The Ashburton by-election, 1904 was a parliamentary by-election held in England on 7 January 1904 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the British House of Commons constituency of Ashburton in Devon.-Vacancy:...
caused by the death of the sitting Liberal MP, Charles Seale-Hayne
Charles Seale-Hayne
Charles Hayne Seale-Hayne PC was a British businessman and Liberal politician. He served as Paymaster-General between 1892 and 1895 in the Liberal administrations of William Ewart Gladstone and the Earl of Rosebery....
. He won the seat and represented Ashburton
Ashburton (UK Parliament constituency)
Ashburton was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament at Westminster, for one Parliament in 1298 and regularly from 1640 until it was abolished for the 1868 general election. It was one of three Devon borough constituencies newly enfranchised in the Long...
until 1907 when he resigned to take up his appointment as a judge.
Other appointments and honours
Eve was made a Justice of the PeaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for the county of Devon in 1903. In 1907 he was elected an honorary fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, and was knighted in the same year. He retired from the bench in 1937 for reasons of declining health and was sworn in as a member of the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.
Death
Eve died at Eldon House, Lower Bourne, FarnhamFarnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, on 10 December 1940 at the age of 84 years.