Henry Harvey (lawyer) facts for kids

Henry Harvey (died 1585) was an important English lawyer. He became the head of Trinity Hall, Cambridge, a famous college. He also helped set up a special place in London called Doctors' Commons, which was a main office for church lawyers for many years. Henry Harvey also served as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, which is a very high position in the university.

Early Life and Education

Henry Harvey was the son of Robert and Joan Harvey from Stradbroke, a town in Suffolk, England. He studied at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He earned his first law degree in 1538 and a higher law degree in 1542. These degrees showed he was very skilled in legal matters.

A Career in Law

In 1550, Henry Harvey became a special lawyer called an advocate at Doctors' Commons. He became well-known as a lawyer who specialized in church law. This meant he dealt with legal cases related to the church and its rules.

He held important positions, like being a chief legal advisor to the Bishop of London, Nicholas Ridley. He also became a chief legal advisor for the entire province of Canterbury, which is a large area of the Church of England.

During the time of Queen Mary, Henry Harvey was involved in legal cases about religious beliefs. Later, when Elizabeth I was queen, he helped a group of officials in 1570. They were creating new rules, mainly to help manage religious practices at the time.

Doctors' Commons

In 1567, Henry Harvey arranged for a building in London to be rented. This building became known as Doctors' Commons. It was a very important place for lawyers who specialized in church law. Trinity Hall, his college, had control over these buildings for a long time. Even though the arrangement could have ended in 1728, Trinity Hall kept control until Doctors' Commons became its own official group in 1768.