Matthew Skinner facts for kids

Matthew Skinner (born October 22, 1689 – died October 21, 1749) was an important English lawyer, judge, and politician. He was a member of the House of Commons (a part of the British Parliament) from 1734 to 1738. He held many significant legal positions during his lifetime.

Early Life and Education

Matthew Skinner was born on October 22, 1689. He was the youngest of three sons. His father, Robert Skinner, was also a judge and a law reporter. Matthew was the great-grandson of Bishop Robert Skinner.

When he was 14, Matthew went to Westminster School. This was a famous school in London. After that, he studied at Christ Church, Oxford, a college at Oxford University, starting in 1709. He also began his legal training at Lincoln's Inn in the same year. Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London, where lawyers are trained.

Becoming a Lawyer

Matthew Skinner officially became a lawyer, or was "called to the bar", on April 21, 1716. He then joined the Oxford circuit, which meant he traveled to different towns in the Oxford area to work on legal cases.

In 1719, he bought a special position as one of the four "common pleaders" for the city of London. These lawyers had the unique right to practice law in the Lord Mayor's court. He later became the "recorder" of Oxford on May 30, 1721. A recorder is a judge who leads a local court. He gave up his common pleader role in 1722.

A Career in Law and Politics

Skinner's legal career grew very quickly. On February 1, 1724, he was made a "serjeant-at-law." This was a high rank for a lawyer in England. Later, on June 11, 1728, he became one of the "king's serjeants," meaning he was a lawyer who worked for the King. By May 12, 1734, he was the King's "prime" or first serjeant, the most senior lawyer for the Crown. He also served as the treasurer for Serjeants' Inn in 1728, which was a place where serjeants-at-law lived and worked.

Matthew Skinner tried to become a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1727 but was not successful. However, he was chosen as an MP for the Oxford constituency in the general election of 1734. He was elected as a member of the Tory party. While in Parliament, he supported the government. For example, in 1737, he spoke in favor of a bill related to the city of Edinburgh after some public disturbances known as the Porteous riots.

Important Legal Roles

On November 26, 1738, Skinner was appointed the "chief justice of Chester." This was a very important judicial position. He was also a chief judge for the counties of Flint, Denbigh, and Montgomery. Because of this new role, he had to leave his seat in Parliament.

He continued to hold this judicial position, along with being the recorder of Oxford, for the rest of his life. In 1746, he helped lead the legal cases against people who had rebelled against the government in the north of England. He also led the case against Arthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord Balmerinoch in the House of Lords that same year.

Matthew Skinner passed away in Oxford on October 21, 1749, just one day before his 60th birthday. He was buried in Oxford Cathedral.

What Did Matthew Skinner Write?

In 1728, Matthew Skinner published a book of legal reports. These reports were written by his father and covered important legal cases decided in the Court of King's Bench between 1681 and 1697.

Matthew Skinner's Family Life

In 1719, Matthew Skinner married Elizabeth Whitfield. She was the daughter of Thomas Whitfield from Watford Place. Their eldest son died in 1735. Another son, also named Matthew Skinner, followed in his father's footsteps and became a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn.