Attorneys

[Rochdalian]

Hi

I have a bloke convicted at the Old Bailey and transported to OZ who is quoted as saying his father is an Attorney.  The name is Hardisty.  The convict was born c 1795 and sent on the big holiday in 1820. 

Question is who or what organisation would have kept and hold records of Attorneys in those days.

Thanks in advance

Bob

[stanmapstone]

Probably The Law Society See http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/aboutlawsociety/whoweare/abouthistory.law

An attorney-at-law, was a professional and properly-qualified legal agent practising in the courts of Common Law. By the Judicature Act of 1873, the title was abolished in England.
1873 Act 36 & 37 Vict. lxvi. §87 From and after the commencement of this Act all persons admitted as solicitors, attorneys, or proctors of or by law empowered to practise in any Court, the jurisdiction of which is hereby transferred to the High Court of Justice or the Court of Appeal, shall be called Solicitors of the Supreme Court.


Stan

[Rochdalian]

Thanks Stan for the link and explanation.

Bob

[behindthefrogs]

The records of your attorney are likely to be at one of the Four London Inns of Court.   Lincolns Inn, Grays Inn. Inner Temple and Middle Temple.  Each one keeps its own records and so has to be approached separately.
 
The surviving records of the now defunct Inns like Cliffords and Barnards are in the libraries of one of the above Inns.

Since many of the members of the Inns would have previously gone to Oxford or Cambridge it is worth looking at the graduate lists for those Universities.  These can be found in any large reference library and one of them is available online.

David

[Rochdalian]

Thanks David for your suggestions I will certainly follow them up.

Bob

[avm228]

Hi Bob

I recommend this National Archives research guide regarding records of attorneys and solicitors:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=98&j=1

I have been to Kew and traced papers of articled clerkship (dated 1771) and admission papers (dated 1776) for an ancestor of mine who was an attorney.

If you want simpler details such as when he qualified and where he practised then you may get them from an edition of the Law List, which set out names and basic practising details for both London and "provincial" Counsel and attorneys. 

I am a barrister practising from Lincoln's Inn and would be happy to look up your man in the Inn library's collection of the Law List if you would like (though I can't remember offhand how far back the holdings go).  The more details you can provide the better - name, date and likely geographical area of practice in England & Wales.  I won't have an opportunity to do this before Friday, though.

Anna

[Rochdalian]

Hi Anna

Thanks for your offer to look up my man in your library which I would appreciate.

Details are very limited though.  The son who was transported was William Hardisty.  He was stated to be 24 when he was convicted and the way the notation on his conduct record is written tends to indicate that his father was still practicing in 1820.   

"Stated tried once before & aquitted (then a word I can't decipher - could be Tried) at Kilburn father an Attorney"

There is nothing to suggest that his father was involved in the trial, he may just have been trying to impress.  From what I understand Hardisty was not a common name in and around London at the time and there is nothing in William's papers that I have seen that gives his native place so, although his 'crime' was committed in London, he may have been from Yorkshire for example where Hardisty was/is very common.

I will look at that NA guide but it gets pretty hard to visit Kew from Australia

Cheers

Bob

[Rochdalian]

Hi Anna

As well as posting on here I e-mailed the other three Inns of Court, apart from Lincoln's Inn, and had a reply from a Theresa Thom at Gray's Inn.  Part of her reply is as follows:

"Our earliest Law List is for 1805: it refers to a George Hardisty with
offices at 43 Great Malborough Street, 120 Chancery Lane and also, at
the Sub Poena Office, of which he was Principal Clerk, at 6 Stone
Buildings in Lincoln's Inn.
Our next List, for 1817, shows an Edward Hardisty, possibly a son of the
above, also with offices at 43 Great Malborough Street and also
Principal Clerk of the Subpoena office as above. By 1827 Edward was
based solely at Great Malborough St - though other attorneys remained in
private practice within the Inns). Edward Hardisty appears in the Lists
both as a sole practitioner and in partnership with other attorneys".

So I suppose the question is does anyone have knowledge of these two gents.

I'll post on the main London board as I am now looking for people not specifically an occupation.

Cheers

Bob

[behindthefrogs]

Thank you for the feedback Bob.  It is good to have ones recommendations confirmed.

David