Background
Jekyll was born in 1663 to John Jekyll and his second wife Tryphena, and was the half-brother of Thomas Jekyll.
Jekyll was born in 1663 to John Jekyll and his second wife Tryphena, and was the half-brother of Thomas Jekyll.
He was educated at the Middle Temple was called to the bar in 1687.
Jekyll rapidly rose to be chief justice of Chester (1697), serjeant-at-law and king's serjeant (1700), and a knight. In 1717 he was made master of the rolls. He sat in parliament for various constituencies from 1697 to the end of his life, and took an active part there in debating constitutional questions with much learning.
He was censured by the House of Commons for accepting a brief for the defence of Lord Halifax in a prosecution ordered by the house. He was one of the managers of the impeachment of the Jacobite earl of Wintoun in 1715, and of Harley (Lord Oxford) in 1717. In later years he supported Walpole. He became very unpopular in 1736 for his introduction of the "gin act, " taxing the retailing of spirituous liquors, and his house had to be protected from the mob. Jekyll was also responsible for the Mortmain Act of 1736, which was not superseded till 1888.
He died without issue in 1738.
He was a Whig in politics.
Quotations: "He [Prince of Wales] thought he saw a northern star arising, which if properly managed might preserve the liberties of Europe. "
Quotes from others about the person
The 1st Lord Egmont wrote of him:
A noted Parliament man, and head of the flying squadron, he had the character in general of a man of probity, though some doubted it, because he sometimes gave into the court measures when least expected. Many good public bills were moved for and prepared by him, and some that were otherwise, particularly that against bequeathing lands in fee by will for charitable uses, or even money to be laid out in land for that end. He had a hatchet face and surly look, always looking grave and speaking sententiously, and was reckoned a great patron of the freethinkers . .. He was a generous man to his relations, but left his next immediate heir, Mr. Jekyll, out of his will because he returned from his travels through France and not through Holland, as Sir Joseph had directed him.
His great-nephew Joseph Jekyll (d. 1837) was a lawyer, politician and wit, who excited a good deal of contemporary satire, and who wrote some jeux d'esprit which were well-known in his time.