Thomas Starkie

January 2, 1782 (age 67)

A talented mathematician in his youth, he especially contributed to the unsuccessful attempts to codify the English criminal law in the nineteenth century. In the same year, he became a fellow of Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge. The couple went on to parent five children. Starkie entered Lincoln"s Inn as a pupil of Joseph Chitty and was called to the bar in 1810, proceeding to practise as a special pleader as well as on the northern circuit, and becoming a Queen's Counsel. In 1823 he became Downing Professor of law at Cambridge though he had little success in attracting pupils with his poor presentations, a fate shared with his contemporary John Austin. He repeated his failure at the Inner Temple in 1833. However, in 1833, Starkie was appointed to the royal commission on a proposed English Criminal Code and spent the rest of his life on various commissions on reform and codification of the criminal law. He was not always popular with his colleagues, Henry Bellenden Ker calling him "childish" and "desultory and wayward". He was also a sometime law reporter and author of the influential texts: A Practical Treatise on the Law of Slander, Libel, and Incidentally of Malicious Prosecutions (1812) and A Practical Treatise on the Law of Evidence (1824). In 1847, Starkie became a judge in the Clerkenwell small-debts court. He died in his rooms in Downing College, Cambridge. Starkie"s instincts were Tory and he opposed the Catholic Relief Acting 1829. However, in 1840 he unsuccessfully stood as a Liberal Party candidate in Cambridge. Lobban, M. (2004) "Starkie, Thomas (1782–1849)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 9 August 2007 (subscription required).

Thomas Starkie

Edit Profile

jurist lawyer

Background

Born in Blackburn, Lancashire, Thomas was the eldest son of the Review Thomas Starkie, vicar of Blackburn, and his wife, Ann née Yatman.

Education

He was educated at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School and Street John"s College, Cambridge, from where he graduated in 1803 as senior wrangler and first Smith"s prizeman.

Career

A talented mathematician in his youth, he especially contributed to the unsuccessful attempts to codify the English criminal law in the nineteenth century. In the same year, he became a fellow of Street Catharine"s College, Cambridge. The couple went on to parent five children.

Starkie entered Lincoln"s Inn as a pupil of Joseph Chitty and was called to the bar in 1810, proceeding to practise as a special pleader as well as on the northern circuit, and becoming a Queen's Counsel. In 1823 he became Downing Professor of law at Cambridge though he had little success in attracting pupils with his poor presentations, a fate shared with his contemporary John Austin.

He repeated his failure at the Inner Temple in 1833. However, in 1833, Starkie was appointed to the royal commission on a proposed English Criminal Code and spent the rest of his life on various commissions on reform and codification of the criminal law.

He was not always popular with his colleagues, Henry Bellenden Ker calling him "childish" and "desultory and wayward". He was also a sometime law reporter and author of the influential texts: A Practical Treatise on the Law of Slander, Libel, and Incidentally of Malicious Prosecutions (1812) and A Practical Treatise on the Law of Evidence (1824).

In 1847, Starkie became a judge in the Clerkenwell small-debts court.

He died in his rooms in Downing College, Cambridge. Starkie"s instincts were Tory and he opposed the Catholic Relief Acting 1829. However, in 1840 he unsuccessfully stood as a Liberal Party candidate in Cambridge.

Lobban, M. (2004) "Starkie, Thomas (1782–1849)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 9 August 2007 (subscription required).

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Thomas Starkie

Background

Education

Career

Born

Died

Nationality

Political Party

Education