FAMOUS MEMBERS OF THE INNER TEMPLE

Click here for abbreviations.

Attlee, Clement R., Earl Attlee (1883-1967)
Adm IT 1904; call 1906; PC 1935
Prime Minister 1945-51

Audley, Sir Thomas, Lord Audley (1488-1544)
Adm IT 1510; call n.d.; bencher 1524; Reader 1526; MP for Essex 1523; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1529; serjeant 1531; LK 1532-3; knt 1532; LC 1533-44; Speaker of HoC
Created Baron Audley of Walden 1538
Inner Temple's first recorded Lord Chancellor. Presided over trial of Sir Thomas More

Austin, John (1790-1859)
Adm IT 1812; call 1818; appointed first Professor of Jurisprudence at University of London (founded 1826); began lectures 1828; resigned 1832; delivered course of lectures on jurisprudence at IT 1834
Legal philosopher and author of 'The Providence of Jurisprudence'.
Friend of John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham
Bequeathed his library to IT

Barrington, Hon. Daines (1727-1800)
Adm IT 1744; call 1749; Recorder of Bristol 1764; KC; bencher 1777; Treasurer 1785; 2nd Justice of Chester 1778-85; resigned all judicial offices 1785
Author, antiquary and naturalist. Vice President of Society of Antiquaries
Friend of Gilbert White, Dr Johnson and James Boswell
Buried in Temple Church

Beaumont, Francis (1584-1616)
Adm IT 1600
Dramatist. Collaborated with Fletcher 1606-16
Third son of Francis Beaumont, JCP

Birkett, William, Lord Birkett (1883-1962)
Adm IT 1910; call 1913; KC 1924; bencher 1930; Treasurer 1956; LJA 1950-56
Judge at Nuremberg trials. Outstanding advocate

Boswell, James (1740-95)
Adm IT 1761; call 1786; recorder of Carlisle 1788-90
Eldest son of Lord Auchinleck
Author and biographer of Dr. Johnson
Resided in Farrar's Building

Bridgeman, Sir Orlando (1606-74)
Adm 1624; call 1633; bencher 1660; serjeant 1660; CJCP 1660-68; LK 1667-72
Celebrated conveyancer. Presided over trial of Regicides

Broke, Arthur (d.1563)
Adm IT 1561; contributed to IT Christmas revels 1561
Dramatist and translator. Author of 'The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Iuliet written first in Italian by Bandell and nowe in English by Ar. Br.' on which William Shakespeare's
Romeo and Juliet was based

Bromley, Sir Thomas (1530-87)
Adm IT 1550; call n.d.; Reader 1566; Treasurer 1573-75; Recorder of London 1566-69; SG 1569-79; MP; LC 1579-87; PC; knt 1579
Presided over trial of Mary, Queen of Scots, 1586. Sealed execution warrant

[Chaucer, Geoffrey (c.1340-1400)] Membership of IT claimed by sixteenth century antiquary but not corroborated Poet , author, courtier and civil servant. JP; MP Mentioned a 'manciple of a Temple' in the 'Prologue to the Canterbury Tales'.

Childers, Robert Erskine (1870-1922)
Adm IT 1892
Author, Irish nationalist

Sir Edward Coke, 1552-1634, eminent lawyer and judge Coke, Sir Edward (1552-1634)
Adm CI 1571; adm IT 1572; call 1578; bencher 1590; Treasurer 1595-7; SG 1592; AG 1594; knt 1603; serjeant 1606; CJCP 1606; CJKB 1613-16; MP 1589; Speaker 1593
One of most influential judges. attacked royal prerogative and defended supremacy of Parliament.
Author of commentary on Littleton (qv)

Devereux, Robert, 2nd Earl of Essex (1568-1601)
Adm IT 1588
Courtier, favourite of Elizabeth I. Leader in Irish campaign
Stepson of Lord Robert Dudley (qv). Arrested for involvement in rebellion, 1601. Executed 1601

Drake, Sir Francis (c1540-96)
Adm IT 1582
Circumnavigator and Admiral

Dudley, John, Duke of Northumberland (c1502-53)
Adm IT 1511
Lord Protector under Edward VI. Led unsuccessful attempted to secure succession of Lady Jane Grey. Executed by Mary I

Dudley, Lord Robert, Earl of Leicester (c1533-88)
Adm IT 1561; Master of IT Revels, 1561
Courtier, Master of the Queen's Horse, favourite of Elizabeth I Son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland (qv)

Finch, Sir Heneage, Nottingham, Lord (1621-82)
Adm IT 1638; call 1645; Reader 1661; Treasurer 1661-72; SG 1660; AG 1670; LK 1673; LC 1675-82
Known as the 'silver-tongued lawyer' and the 'father of modern equity' (DNB)
Involved in trial of Regicides in reign of Charles II

Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand (1869-1948)
Adm IT 1888; call 1891; disbarred 1922; reinstated 1988
Architect of Indian independence

Gascoigne, Sir William (c1350-1419)
Adm IT n.d.; call n.d.; serjeant 1388; CJKB
Reputedly committed Prince Henry, later Henry V, to gaol for contempt

Gilbert, Sir William Schwenk (1836-1911)
Adm IT 1855; call 1863; knt 1907
Playwright, librettist and author. Famous as collaborator with Sir Arthur Sullivan on comic operettas.
Drowned when bathing in lake in own grounds at Harrow Weald

Goddard, Rayner, Lord Goddard (1877-1971)
Adm IT 1896; call 1891; bencher 1929; LCJ 1946-58
First non-political LCJ. In favour of hanging and corporal punishment. Presided over Craig and Bentley trial

Grenville, George (1712-70)
Adm IT 1729; call 1735; bencher 1763; MP 1741; First Lord of Treasury [Prime Minister] 1763-65
Nicknamed 'the Gentle Shepherd' by William Pitt. Endowed with 'considerable financial ability, unflagging industry and inflexible integrity both in public and private life'. Nevertheless, 'his administration was a series of blunders' (DNB)

Hall, Sir Edward Marshall (1858-1927)
Adm IT 1880; call 1883; bencher 1910; QC 1898; MP 1900; knt 1917 Involved in a number of sensational cases, including Russell Divorce case 1923

Hallam, Arthur Henry (1811-33)
Adm IT 1832
Poet and author. Son of Henry Hallam (qv)
Friend of Alfred Tennyson, who wrote 'In Memoriam' on his death in Vienna in 1833

Hallam, Henry (1777-1859)
Adm LI 1798; adm IT 1802; call 1802; bencher 1841; Reader 1853
Vice-President of the Society of Antiquaries
Historian. Author of 'The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VIII to the death of George II', (1827)
Friend of John Austin (qv)

Hampden, John (1594-1643)
Adm IT 1613; call n.d.; MP 1621
Statesman. Opposed ship-money levied by Charles I

Harcourt, Sir Simon (1660-1727)
Adm IT 1676; call 1683; Treasurer 1702; Recorder of Abingdon 1683; MP for Abingdon 1690-1705 & 1708-9, Bossiney, Cornwall, 1705-8 and Cardigan 1710; SG 1702; knt 1702; AG 1707 & 1710; LK 1710; PC 1710; LC 1713-14; Viscount 1721
Took part in prosecution of Defoe at Old Bailey for publication of tract 1703
Skilful speaker. Appeared for Sacheverell in House of Lords 1710 where his speech was 'universally applauded' (DNB)
Friend of Alexander Pope, John Gay and Jonathan Swift

Hatton, Sir Christopher (1540-91)
Adm IT 1560; not called; MP 1571; LC 1587-91.
Courtier, politician and favourite of Elizabeth I I
nvolved in Christmas Revels at IT 1561; and wrote fourth act of tragedy of Tancred and
Gismund performed before the Queen at IT 1588
First LC not to be a trained lawyer or prelate
Commissioner involved in trials of Anthony Babbington and Mary, Queen of Scots

Herbert, Sir Alan P (1890-1971)
Adm IT 1912; call 1919; MP for Oxford University 1935-50
Author, humourist

Hughes, Thomas (1822-96)
Adm LI 1845; adm IT 1848; call 1848; QC 1869; bencher 1870
MP 1865-74
Author of 'Tom Brown's Schooldays'

James, Duke of York (later James II) (1633-1701)
First Royal Bencher of IT. King 1685-88. Abdicated 1688

James, Edwin (1812-82)
Adm IT 1832; call 1836; QC 1850; MP 1859-61; disbarred for unprofessional conduct 1861.
Emigrated to New York, USA
Performed on American stage, 1861-72

Jeffreys, George, Lord Jeffreys (c.1644-89)
Adm IT 1663; call 1668; bencher 1678; CJKB 1683; Recorder of London 1678-80; serjeant 1680; LCJ 1682; KC 1683; LC 1685
Defender of Crown interests. Presided over 'Bloody Assizes' after Monmouth's attempted rebellion 1685. Died in Tower of London 1689

Jekyll, Sir Joseph (c.1757-1837)
Adm LI 1769; call 1778; adm IT 1795; Treasurer 1816; MP for Calne 1787-1816; KC 1805; SG 1805; Master in Chancery 1815
Lawyer, wit and politician. Author of 'Facts and observations relating to the Temple Church' 1811

Jinnah, Mohammed Ali (1876-1948)
Adm LI 1893; call LI 1896; adm IT (ad eundem) 1931
President of Pakistan 1947

Karadja, Constantin
Adm IT 1909 call 1922
Romanian Diplomat. Romanian Consul General in Berlin 1931-41. Head of Consulate Dept. of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest, 1941-44. Responsible for the safe evacuation of thousands of Jews from Nazi Germany.

Keate, George (1729-97)
Adm IT 1751; call 1753; bencher 1791
Writer and painter. Friend of Voltaire

Keynes, John Maynard, Lord Keynes (1883-1946)
Adm IT 1905
Economist

Khama, Seretse (1921-80)
Adm IT 1946
Chief designate of Bamangwato Tribe, in Bechauanaland Protectorate; exiled for marriage to white woman, Ruth Williams; returned to Bechuanaland 1956; Leader of Bechauanaland Democratic Party; first president of Botswana

Littleton, Sir Thomas (c1415-81)
Adm IT n.d.; call n.d.; serjeant 1453; KS 1455; JCP 1466-81 Lawyer, judge, author of 'On Tenures'

Nehru, Jawaharlal (1889-1964)
Adm IT 1909; call 1912
First Prime Minister of India

Norton, Thomas (1532-84)
Adm 1556; MP 1558; Remembrancer of the City of London 1571
Author and politician. Joint author with Sir Thomas Sackvile (qv) of the first English tragedy Gorboduc, 1561
Anti-catholic campaigner, nick-named the 'Rackmaster General'
Committed to Fleet prison 1556 and to Tower of London 1584 for extreme Protestant views.

Paca, William (1740-99)
Adm IT 1762; called to bar of Maryland, USA ,1764
Politician. Signed the Declaration of American Independence
Maryland state senator; Chief Judge of Supreme Court, Maryland; Governor of Maryland 1782-86; delegate to State convention which ratifies the US constitution 1788; US judge 1789-99

Paston, John (1421-66)
Adm IT n.d.
Lived in the IT for 20 years. Author and recipient of a number of the 'Paston Letters'

Petyt, William (c.1641-1707)
Adm IT 1664; call 1671; bencher 1687; Treasurer 1701; Keeper of the Records, Tower of London 1689
Talented lawyer and antiquarian. Defended Inner Temple against the City of London after riot against Lord Mayor 1669, and defended City of London against the Crown quo warranto proceedings 1683
Left his library and manuscripts to the Inner Temple Library 1707

Rahman, Tunku Abdul (1903-90)
Adm IT 1924; call 1949; bencher 1970
Founding father and first Prime Minster of Malaysia

Rhodes, Cecil John
ADM IT 1876
Founder of Rhodesia

Rolle, Henry (c.1589-1656)
Adm IT 1609; call 1618; bencher 1633; Reader 1637; serjeant 1640; JKB 1645; CJKB 1648; CJ of Upper Bench in Commonwealth period
Compiler of 'The Grand Abridgement'
Captured at Salisbury Assizes in 1655. Escaped hanging for involvement in uprising. Later refused to try other insurgents.

Sackville, Sir Thomas (1536-1608)
Adm 1555; MP 1558; created Lord Buckhurst 1567; KG 1589; Chancellor,. Oxford University 1591; Lord Treasurer 1599; created Earl of Dorset 1604
Author and politician. Joint author with Thomas Norton (qv) of the first English tragedy Gorboduc, 1561

Selden, John (1584-1654)
Adm CI 1602; adm IT 1604; call 1612; bencher 1633; MP
Jurist, author, scholar
Resided in Heyward's Buildings (later known as Paper Buildings)

Stoker, Abraham (or Bram) (1848-1912)
Adm IT 1886; call 1890
Drama critic, author, novelist , creator of Dracula

Taylor, A J P (1906-90)
Adm IT 1925
Historian

Thurlow, Edward, Lord Thurlow (1732-1806)
Adm. IT 1752; call 1754; Bencher 1762; Reader 1769; Treasurer 1770; SG 1770; AG 1771; MP for Tamworth 1770-78; LC 1778-92.
Defended Warren Hastings. Opposed William Pitt the Younger. Whilst Lord Chancellor, the Great Seal stolen from his house in Great Ormond Street.

Von Moltke, Count Helmuth James (d.1945)
Adm IT 1935; call 1938
International lawyer. Advised German High Command. Executed by Adolf Hitler 1945

Willing, Thomas (1731-1821)
Adm IT 1748
American merchant and politician. Judge of Supreme Court, Pennsylvania
Established first chartered bank in USA and acted as its first president

Abbreviations

AG Attorney general
Adm Admitted to
Call Called to the bar
CJCP Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
CJKB Chief Justice of the King's Bench
DNB Dictionary of National Biography
HoC House of Commons
IT Inner Temple
JCP Justice of the Common Pleas
JP Justice of the Peace
KC King's Counsel
Knt Knighted
KS King's Serjeant
LC Lord Chancellor
LK Lord Keeper
LCJ Lord Chief Justice
LJA Lord Justice in Appeal
MP Member of Parliament
n.d. No date available
PC Privy Councillor
QC Queen's Counsel
SG Solicitor General

Researchers wishing to consult the archives should apply in writing to:

Clare Rider
Archivist
Treasury Office
Inner Temple
London EC4Y 7HL

Tel. 020 7797 8251
Fax. 020 7797 8178
E-mail: crider@innertemple.org.uk