Sir Charles Willie Mathews, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Willie Mathews, 1st Baronet, familiarly known as Willie Mathews (16 October 1850 – 6 June 1920) was a British lawyer.
He was born Charles Willie West in New York City
, the son of actress Elizabeth Jackson (stage name Lizzie Weston; d.1899) and her first husband William West. Lizzie Weston married, as her third husband, the actor Charles James Mathews
in 1857, one day after divorcing her second husband, A. H. Davenport (1831-1873). Charles Willie assumed his stepfather's surname by deed poll.
He was educated at Eton College
, and after spending three years in Europe he joined the chambers of Montagu Williams
as a pupil aged about twenty-one. In 1886, Williams retired as junior counsel to HM Treasury
. The post was split into two and Mathews was appointed to one of the vacant offices. Two years later he was promoted to Senior Treasury Counsel, and in the same year he married Lucy Sloper but they had no children.
Mathews appeared in several infamous cases, including R. v. Dudley and Stephens, Oscar Wilde
's suit for libel against John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry
and Lord Colin Campbell
's divorce proceedings. He prosecuted the Jameson Raid
ers, Arthur Alfred Lynch
, and Louise Masset, who murdered her own son at Dalston Junction railway station
. Mathews was famous for his courtroom flair and aggressive advocacy.
Mathews was very sociable; he was a member of the Turf
, Garrick
, and Beefsteak Club
s, and was a friend of King Edward VII
and King George V
. In the United Kingdom general election, 1892
, he was the Liberal
candidate for Winchester, but was not returned. The following year, he was appointed recorder of Salisbury
. He was knighted in 1907, and was the first independent Director of Public Prosecutions
from 1908 until his death, despite ill health. He was created a baronet in 1917.
He was born Charles Willie West in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the son of actress Elizabeth Jackson (stage name Lizzie Weston; d.1899) and her first husband William West. Lizzie Weston married, as her third husband, the actor Charles James Mathews
Charles James Mathews
Charles James Mathews was a British actor. He was one of the few British actors to be successful in French-speaking roles in France. A son of the actor Charles Mathews, he achieved a greater reputation than his father in the same profession and also excelled at light comedy...
in 1857, one day after divorcing her second husband, A. H. Davenport (1831-1873). Charles Willie assumed his stepfather's surname by deed poll.
He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and after spending three years in Europe he joined the chambers of Montagu Williams
Montagu Williams
Montagu Stephen Williams Q.C. was an English teacher, army officer, actor, playwright, barrister and magistrate....
as a pupil aged about twenty-one. In 1886, Williams retired as junior counsel to HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
. The post was split into two and Mathews was appointed to one of the vacant offices. Two years later he was promoted to Senior Treasury Counsel, and in the same year he married Lucy Sloper but they had no children.
Mathews appeared in several infamous cases, including R. v. Dudley and Stephens, Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's suit for libel against John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry
John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry
John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry GCVO was a Scottish nobleman, remembered for lending his name and patronage to the "Marquess of Queensberry rules" that formed the basis of modern boxing, for his outspoken atheism, and for his role in the downfall of author and playwright Oscar...
and Lord Colin Campbell
Lord Colin Campbell
Lord Colin Campbell was a Scottish Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1878 to 1885.Campbell was the fifth son of George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Georgiana, daughter of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland...
's divorce proceedings. He prosecuted the Jameson Raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
ers, Arthur Alfred Lynch
Arthur Alfred Lynch
Arthur Alfred Lynch was an Irish Australian civil engineer, physician, journalist, author, soldier, anti-imperialist and polymath. He served as MP in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party, and represented Galway Borough...
, and Louise Masset, who murdered her own son at Dalston Junction railway station
Dalston Junction railway station
Dalston Junction railway station is in the Dalston area of the London Borough of Hackney at the crossroad of Dalston Lane, Kingsland Road and Balls Pond Road...
. Mathews was famous for his courtroom flair and aggressive advocacy.
Mathews was very sociable; he was a member of the Turf
Turf Club (Gentlemen's Club)
-External links:* - official website *...
, Garrick
Garrick Club
The Garrick Club is a gentlemen's club in London.-History:The Garrick Club was founded at a meeting in the Committee Room at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on Wednesday 17 August 1831...
, and Beefsteak Club
Beefsteak Club
Beefsteak Club is the name, nickname and historically common misnomer applied by sources to several 18th and 19th century male dining clubs that celebrated the beefsteak as a symbol of patriotic and often Whig concepts of liberty and prosperity....
s, and was a friend of King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. In the United Kingdom general election, 1892
United Kingdom general election, 1892
The 1892 United Kingdom general election was held from 4 July to 26 July 1892. It saw the Conservatives, led by Lord Salisbury, win the greatest number of seats, but not enough for an overall majority as William Ewart Gladstone's Liberals won many more seats than in the 1886 general election...
, he was the Liberal
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...
candidate for Winchester, but was not returned. The following year, he was appointed recorder of Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
. He was knighted in 1907, and was the first independent Director of Public Prosecutions
Director of Public Prosecutions (England and Wales)
The Director of Public Prosecutions of England and Wales is a senior prosecutor, appointed by the Attorney General. First created in 1879, the office was unified with that of the Treasury Solicitor less than a decade later before again becoming independent in 1908...
from 1908 until his death, despite ill health. He was created a baronet in 1917.