Background
Maule was born in Edmonton, Middlesex. His father, Henry, was a physician and his mother, Hannah née Rawson, a Quaker.
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William Maule
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He was offered the post of professor of mathematics at the East India College but, in 1810, Maule had already entered Lincoln"s Inn with the intention of practising law. He was called to the bar in 1814 and began practice in commercial law, especially marine insurance, at 3 Essex Court. Maule was appointed King"s Council in 1833 and in 1835 became counsel to the Bank of England, succeeding Sir James Scarlett.
His retention by the bank did not prevent him from acting for Nicholas Aylward Vigors who faced an election petition over his County Carlow by-election victory in February 1837.
Maule"s success established his reputation in the region and he himself was elected for Carlow Borough in the United Kingdom general election, 1837 of August. Maule was knighted and appointed a Baron of the Court of the Exchequer in 1839, transferring to the Court of Common Pleas later that year.
Male was the only judge to dissent (in part) on the ruling in M"Naghten"s Case (insanity). Maule retired from the bench because of poor health in 1855 but became a Privy Councillor.
He died at home in London.
Fitzgerald, J. Doctorate. (2004) "Maule, Sir William Henry (1788–1858)", review Hugh Mooney, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 17 August 2007 (subscription or United Kingdom public library membership required)
Foss, East. (2006). A Biographical Dictionary of the Judges of England: From the Conquest to the Present Time 1066-1870.
Achievements
Membership
13th United Kingdom Parliament.
Personality
He was a practical and knowledgeable judge with a fine judicial sense of humour (witness his pointed opinion in a case of wife selling).
