Background
Born at Cranworth, Norfolk, he was the elder son of the Reverend Edmund Rolfe and Jemima Alexander, James Alexander, 1st Earl of Caledon"s niece and a granddaughter of physician Messenger Monsey.
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Robert Monsey Rolfe
Edit ProfileEducation
Rolfe was related to Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, he was educated at Bury Street Edmunds, Winchester, Trinity College, Cambridge, Downing College, Cambridge (of which he was elected fellow) and was called to the bar, Lincoln"s Inn, in 1816.
Career
He twice served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. Cranworth represented Penryn and Falmouth in Parliament from 1832 until he was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer in 1839. In 1850 he was appointed a Vice-Chancellor and raised to the peerage as Baron Cranworth, of Cranworth in the County of Norfolk.
In 1852 Lord Cranworth became Lord Chancellor in Lord Aberdeen"s coalition ministry.
He continued to hold the chancellorship also in the administration of Lord Palmerston until the latter"s resignation in 1858. Cranworth was not reappointed when Palmerston returned to office in 1859, but on the retirement of Lord Westbury in 1865 he accepted the office for a second time, and held it till the fall of the Russell administration in 1866.
Fouldes v. Willoughby (1841)
Jones v Lock (1865)
Rylands v.
Fletcher judgment given 9 days before his death.
Membership
11th United Kingdom Parliament. 12th United Kingdom Parliament. 13th United Kingdom Parliament.
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Born
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Died
July 26, 1868 (aged 77) -
Nationality
United Kingdom -
Political Party
Liberal party