Thomas Abney (judge)


Sir Thomas Abney (1690 or 1691 – 1750) was an English barrister and later judge. He was baptized at Willesley, Derbyshire (now in Leicestershire) on 30 April 1691[1] and was the younger son of Sir Edward Abney (who in turn was the elder brother of Sir Thomas Abney, Lord Mayor of London), by his second wife, Judith, daughter and co-heir of Peter Barr, of London.[2]

He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford, on 2 December 1707, aged 16.[3] He became a King's Counsel in 1733,[4] Attorney-General for the Duchy of Lancaster in 1733,[5] Judge of the Marshalsea Court (at which time he was also knighted) in 1735,[6] Steward and one of the Judges of the Marshalsea Court in 1736,[7] in November 1740 a Baron of the Exchequer,[8] and in February 1743 a Justice of the Common Pleas.[2][9] Abney fell a victim to the gaol distemper at the 'Black Sessions' at the Old Bailey in May 1750, when, "of the judges in the commission, only the chief justice, (Lee) and the recorder (Adams) escaped. Those who fell a sacrifice to the pestilence were Mr. Justice Abney, who died 19 May;[10] Mr. Baron Clarke, who died on the 17th; Sir Samuel Pennant, lord mayor; and alderman Sir Daniel Lambert; besides several of the counsel and jurymen."[2] He was buried in Derbyshire (now in Leicestershire) with his ancestors.[11] His wife died at Ashby de la Zouch in 1761,[12] and his son Thomas in 1791.[13]

  1. ^ Find My Past: Leicestershire Baptisms: Willesley, Leicestershire, England: Thomas Son of Sr Edward Abney Kt & the Lady Judith his wife was baptized the Thirtieth day of April } 1691
  2. ^ a b c Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1885). "Abney, Thomas (d.1750)" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 1. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  3. ^ Ancestry: Oxford University Alumni, 1500-1886: 1500-1714, Volume I: A: Image 3 of 50: Abney, (Sir) Thomas, y.s. Edw., of Willesley, co. Derby, equitis. WADHAM COLL., matric. 2 Dec. 1707, aged 16; of Willesley, co. Derby, bar.-at-law, Inner Temple, 1713, K.C., knighted 23 Dec. 1735, serjeant 1740, attorney-general of the Duchy of Lancaster 1733, judge of the Palace Court 1735, baron of the Exchequer 1740, justice of Common Pleas 1743, baptized 30 April 1691, died 19 May 1750. See Foster's Judges and Barristers.
  4. ^ "News." St. James's Evening Post [London, England] 3 May 1733 – 5 May 1733: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: Yesterday Thomas Abney, of the Inner-Temple, Esq; was sworn in at the Court of King's-Bench, Westminster, one of his Majesty's Counsel, in the room of Thomas Reeve, Esq; now one of the Judges of the Court of Common-Pleas.
  5. ^ "News." St. James's Evening Post [London, England] 17 Apr. 1733 – 19 Apr. 1733: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: On Tuesday last Thomas Abney of the Inner-Temple, Esq; was sworn in Attorney-General of the Dutchy of Lanaster, in the Room of the Hon. Mr. Justice Reeve.
  6. ^ "News." Daily Gazetteer (London Edition) [London, England] 24 Dec. 1735: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: Last Monday Thomas Abney, Esq; was introduced to his Majesty at St. James's, by the Right Hon. the Lord Harrington, and had the Honour to kiss his Majesty's Hand, on his being appointed Judge of the Marshalsea Court in the room of Sir John Darnell, Kt. deceased; and the same Day his Majesty was pleased to confer the Honour of Knighthood upon him.
  7. ^ "News." London Gazette [London, England] 30 Dec. 1735 – 3 Jan. 1736: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: Whitehall, 2 January. His Majesty having been pleased to confer the Honour of Knighthood upon Thomas Abney, Esq; one of his Council learned in Law, has since been pleased to grant unto him the Office of Steward and one of the Judges of his Majesty's Court of his Palace at Westminster.
  8. ^ "News." London Evening Post [London, England] 27 Nov. 1740 – 29 Nov. 1740: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 8 Nov. 2020: On Thursday last Sir Thomas Abney, one of his Majesty's Counsel at Law, &c. and William Eyre, of Lincoln's-Inn, Esq; were call'd to the Degree of Serjeants at Law, and gave Rings with this Motto, Volentes per populos, and after having counted at the Common-Pleas Bar, in the usual Form, gave a very sumptuous Entertainment in the Inner Temple-Hall; at which were present the Lord Chancellor, Lord President of the Council, the Dukes of Dorset, Devonshire, and Rutland, Earl Cholmondeley, Lord Sidney Beauclerk, Lord Bishop of Salisbury, all the Judges, King's Serjeants, King's Counsel, &c. The same Evening Sir Thomas Abney was sworn in a Baron of the Exchequer, in the room of Mr. Justic Wright; and Mr. Serjeant Wills succeeds Sir Thomas Abney as Attorney-General of the Dutchy of Lancaster, and Mr. Smith of Kent, as Judge of the Marshalsea, &c.
  9. ^ "News." London Gazette [London, England] 12 Feb. 1743 – 15 Feb. 1743: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 8 Nov. 2020: Whitehall, 15 February. The King has been pleased to appoint Sir Thomas Abney, Kt. one of the Barons of His Majesty's Court of Exchequer, to be one of the Justices of His Majesty's Court of Common Pleas, in the Room of the Lord Chief Baron Parker.
  10. ^ "News." Old England [London, England] 19 May 1750: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: The same Day [Thursday] about Noon died of a maiingnat [sic] Fever, after four Days Illness, Sir Thomas Abney, Knt. one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, Westminster.
  11. ^ "News." Remembrancer (1747) [London, England] 2 June 1750: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 7 Nov. 2020: On Sunday Morning last the Corps of Sir Thomas Abney, Knt. was carried from his House in Norfolk-Street, to be interred in Derbyshire, with the Remains of his Ancestors.
  12. ^ "News." Public Ledger or The Daily Register of Commerce and Intelligence [London, England] 8 Apr. 1761: n.p. Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century Burney Newspapers Collection. Web. 8 Nov. 2020: Last week died at her house at Ashby de la Zouch, in the county of Leicester, Lady Abney, relict of Sir Thomas Abney, late one of the Judges of the Common Pleas.
  13. ^ "Births, Deaths, Marriages and Obituaries." Northampton Mercury [Northampton, England] 20 Aug. 1791: 3. British Library Newspapers. Web. 8 Nov. 2020: Monday last, at Willesley-Hall, in Leicestershire, Thomas Abney, Esq. son of Sir Thomas Abney, one of His Majesty's justices of the Court of Common Pleas.