William Henry Ashurst (judge) facts for kids

Sir William Henry Ashurst (born 1725, died 1807) was an important English judge. He helped make decisions in courts and shaped the laws of his time.

Early Life of William Ashurst

William Ashurst came from a well-known family in Lancashire, England. His family, the Ashhursts, had a long history. One of his relatives was Henry Ashurst, who was known for his charity work. Another family member was even the Lord Mayor of London in 1693.

William Ashurst was born on January 26, 1725, in a place called Ashhurst, near Wigan. He went to a famous school called Charterhouse to get his education.

William Ashurst's Career as a Judge

William Ashurst started his legal training at the Inner Temple in 1750. Before becoming a judge, he worked as a "special pleader." This meant he specialized in writing legal documents and arguments for court cases. One of his students was a future judge named Mr. Justice Buller.

Ashurst became a lawyer on February 8, 1754. Later, in 1770, he was made a "serjeant," which was a special rank for senior lawyers. On June 25, 1770, he became a judge in the King's Bench. He took the place of Sir William Blackstone. At that time, Lord Mansfield was the main judge in that court.

Judge Ashurst's decisions were known for being very clear and sensible. Someone who knew him described his skills as a judge: "Sir William Ashurst is a man with a good education and broad ideas. His words might not be fancy, but they are clear, direct, and easy to understand. He thinks logically and knows how to find the important parts of an argument."

Ashurst's Famous Speech

Judge Ashurst is perhaps best remembered for a speech he gave to a grand jury in Middlesex on November 10, 1792. This was a time when many people in England were worried about the French revolution happening in France. Some English people admired the ideas of the revolution, but others, like Judge Ashurst, were concerned.

In his speech, Judge Ashurst said that the ideas of the revolution's supporters in England were "absurd, nonsensical, and harmful." He strongly believed in the English system of government. He said, "There is no nation in the world that can boast of a more perfect system of government than that under which we live." He encouraged the jury to support the existing government.

This speech was printed and shared widely by a group that wanted to protect England from ideas like those in France. It also led to some people writing replies, including a famous writer named Jeremy Bentham. Even though Ashurst liked the traditional English law, he also worked with Lord Mansfield to make the law fairer.

People even made a joke about his appearance in a poem:

Judge Ashhurst with his lanthorn jaws

Throws light upon the English laws.

Later Life and Retirement

Because he was so respected as a lawyer, Sir William Ashurst was chosen twice to be one of the commissioners in charge of the "great seal." This was a very important role, meaning he helped manage official government documents and decisions. He held this position from April 9 to December 23, 1783, and again from June 15, 1792, to January 28, 1793.

In 1786, Ashurst sold his home called Mount Pleasant, which later became known as Belmont. He retired from his job as a judge on June 9, 1799. He then moved to his house in Waterstock, Oxfordshire, where he passed away on November 5, 1807.