James William Freshfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James William Freshfield
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| Member of Parliament for Penryn |
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| In office 1830–1832 |
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| Preceded by | William Manning David Barclay |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Member of Parliament for Penryn and Falmouth |
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| In office 1835–1841 |
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| Preceded by | Robert Monsey Rolfe Charles William Bury |
| Succeeded by | John Cranch Walker Vivian James Hanway Plumridge |
| Member of Parliament for Boston |
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| In office 1851–1852 |
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| Preceded by | Benjamin Bond Cabbell Hon. Dudley Pelham |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Bond Cabbell Gilbert Heathcote |
| Member of Parliament for Penryn and Falmouth |
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| In office 1852–1857 |
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| Preceded by | Howel Gwyn Francis Mowatt |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Baring Samuel Gurney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 April 1774 |
| Died | 27 June 1864 (aged 90) |
| Nationality |  Great Britain |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouses | Mary Blacket (1799–1819) Jane Simms (1821–†) |
| Children | Henry Ray Freshfield Charles Kaye Freshfield |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
James William Freshfield (born April 8, 1774 – died June 27, 1864) was an important English lawyer. He founded a famous international law firm called Freshfields. He was also a politician who belonged to the Conservative Party. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for different areas like Penryn and Boston.
Contents
Early Life and Education
James Freshfield was born in Windsor, Berkshire. His father was a clockmaker. James first trained to be a watchmaker. But he decided to become a solicitor, which is a type of lawyer.
He started his own law practice in London in 1795. Later, he joined a well-known law firm called Winter & Kaye as a partner.
Connections and Beliefs
Freshfield had strong connections with the Clapham Sect. This was a group of influential religious leaders. They held important positions in the city and law.
William Wilberforce, a famous leader against slavery, was part of this group. Freshfield was also very active in the Church Missionary Society. This group worked to end slavery. He later became one of its trustees.
Legal Career Highlights
By 1811, Freshfield's law firm, Kaye & Freshfield, had moved to new offices. James Freshfield lived in Stoke Newington, north of London. His home was called Abney House.
He was a very active member of the Lowtonian Society. In 1819, he became a joint solicitor for the Bank of England. This was a time of big changes in banking. His firm handled many legal cases for the Bank of England.
Important Clients and Challenges
Freshfield worked for other important clients too. These included Lord Carrington and Earl Stanhope.
Before slavery was abolished in 1833, some of Freshfield's wealthy clients owned estates in the Caribbean. These estates used enslaved people. This created a difficult situation for Freshfield, who was against slavery. His firm sometimes had to deal with legal matters related to these estates.
In 1829, his firm handled a famous divorce case. It involved Lady Ellenborough and was a big society scandal.
Political Journey
Freshfield was asked to run for Parliament in 1825. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for Penryn in 1830. However, he lost his seat in the 1832 election.
After a new law called the Reform Act, he was elected again. This time, he represented the new area of Penryn and Falmouth. He lost this seat in 1840.
Return to Parliament
Freshfield was out of Parliament for 10 years. In 1842, he became a barrister, another type of lawyer. He ran for Parliament again in different places.
He was finally elected for Boston in 1851 and 1852. Then he served for Penryn and Falmouth again. He retired from politics in 1857 when he was 85 years old.
Key Contributions
One of his most important roles was leading the Divorce Committee. This committee worked on laws about divorce.
He also helped change laws that were important for businesses in London. He worked to make sure that merchants who handled goods for foreigners were protected by law. He also helped create a measure to make local taxes fairer in London's surrounding areas.
Freshfield was a Justice of the Peace (JP) for several areas. This meant he helped keep law and order. He was also the High Sheriff of Surrey in 1850. He held other important positions, like Deputy Lieutenant for Middlesex and Surrey.
He was the solicitor for the Bank of England for 20 years. He also worked for many large companies in London, including those involved in mining and farming in South America. He passed away at the age of 90.
Family Life
James Freshfield married Mary Blacket in 1799. Her nephew, Edmund Blacket, became a famous architect in Australia.
James and Mary had three sons: James William, Henry, and Charles. All three sons became lawyers in their father's firm. Mary died in 1819.
In 1821, Freshfield married again to Frances James Sims. The last member of the Freshfield family retired from the law firm in 1927.
