Samuel Warren (British lawyer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Warren
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Samuel Warren (c. 1835-40), by John Linnell.
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| Born | 23 May 1808 Rackery Farm near Wrexham, Denbighshire, UK
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| Died | 29 July 1877 (aged 69) London, UK
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| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
| Occupation | British writer, lawyer and politician |
Samuel Warren (born May 23, 1807 – died July 29, 1877) was a talented British writer, lawyer, and politician. He was known for his popular novels and for serving in the UK Parliament.
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The Early Life of Samuel Warren
Samuel Warren was born in Wales, at Rackery Farm near Wrexham, Denbighshire. His father, also named Samuel Warren, was a Wesleyan Methodist minister. His mother, Anne Williams, passed away when Samuel was young.
Some historians believe that Samuel Warren worked as an apprentice in a medical field when he was a teenager. This might have been with a person who prepared and sold medicines.
Education and Legal Career
From 1826 to 1828, Samuel Warren studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He did very well there and won awards, but he did not finish his degree.
After his medical studies, he decided to pursue law. He joined the Inner Temple, which is one of the professional associations for barristers in London. He studied law and worked as a "special pleader," which meant he prepared legal arguments. In 1837, he officially became a barrister, able to argue cases in court. Later, in 1852, he became the Recorder of Hull, a senior legal position.
Entering Politics
Samuel Warren also became involved in politics. He was elected to the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. He represented the area of Midhurst from 1856 to 1859.
He was also chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1835. This is a very old and respected group for scientists. Samuel Warren passed away in London in 1877.
Samuel Warren's Famous Writings
Samuel Warren was a very successful writer. He wrote popular stories and novels.
Medical Tales: Passages from the Diary of a Late Physician
One of his most famous works was Passages from the Diary of a Late Physician. This was a series of exciting stories about fictional medical cases. They were first published in Blackwood's Magazine between 1830 and 1837. The stories were incredibly popular.
The main idea behind these stories was about a young doctor's early struggles. It's thought that Warren included some of his own experiences, but made them more dramatic. He once said that he had spent six years actively studying medicine.
These tales helped create a new type of story, especially in crime fiction. They also influenced a style of short story known as "Blackwood's fiction," which often included mysterious or supernatural events.
Notable Novels
Warren also wrote two novels:
- Ten Thousand a-Year (1839): This novel was a social satire, meaning it made fun of society's problems. It was written from a conservative viewpoint. It was first published in Blackwood's Magazine. The story was based on a real-life case about a claim to a noble title, which turned out to be fake.
- Now and Then (1847): This was a social novel about crime and law. It argued for legal reforms from a Methodist perspective. The story was loosely based on a real case in Wolverhampton, but it was not as successful as his other works.
Samuel Warren's writing even influenced famous authors like Charles Dickens. For example, some of his ideas can be seen in Dickens' novel Bleak House.
Legal Writings
Besides his fiction, Warren also wrote about law. His book Select Extracts from Blackstone's Commentaries (first published in 1836) was a collection of important legal ideas.
Samuel Warren's Family Life
In 1831, Samuel Warren married Elizabeth (Eliza) Ballenger. She passed away in 1868. Together, they had two sons and one daughter. Eliza's father was a sugar refiner.
Their elder son, Samuel Lilckendey Warren (born 1835), became an Anglican priest. Their younger son, Edward Walpole Warren (1838–1903), also became a cleric. He was a rector at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Manhattan from 1887 to 1895.
In 1871, Samuel Warren married for a second time, to Louisa Beaumont.
