George James Turner facts for kids
Sir George James Turner (born February 5, 1798 – died July 9, 1867) was an important English lawyer, politician, and judge. He became a top judge in a special court called the Court of Chancery. This court dealt with fairness and property issues.
A Life in Law and Politics
George Turner was born in Great Yarmouth on February 5, 1798. He was the youngest of eight sons. His father, Richard Turner, was a vicar (a type of priest) in the town. George went to Charterhouse School and then to Pembroke College, Cambridge University. He finished his studies in 1819 and became a Fellow (a senior member) of the college. In 1821, he became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court.
Turner worked hard and became a very successful junior lawyer. In 1840, he was made a Queen's Counsel. This is a special title given to experienced barristers. In 1847, he was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Coventry. An MP is a person who represents an area in the country's government. He served as an MP until 1851.
While in Parliament, George Turner helped create a new law. It was called "Turner's Act." This law aimed to make the Court of Chancery work faster and cost less money. The Court of Chancery was a special court that handled cases about fairness and property.
In April 1851, Turner became a Vice-Chancellor of England. This was a high-ranking judge position. He was also given the title of "Sir." Later, in 1853, he became a Lord Justice of Appeal in Chancery. He held this important role until he passed away on July 9, 1867. He was buried in a place called Kelshall.
Turner was also a governor of Charterhouse School and a Fellow of the Royal Society. This shows he was involved in education and science. As a judge, he worked to make sure the chancery court could help people with new types of problems.
His Published Work
In 1832, George Turner helped to edit a book of chancery reports. These reports contained details of important legal cases that happened between 1822 and 1824. He worked on this book with another person named James Russell.
His Family
In 1823, George Turner married Louisa Jones. They had a large family together, with six sons and three daughters.
