OBITUARY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 14

OBITUARY.

LORD CHIEF JUSTICE COLERIDGE. if London, June 14. The death is announced of Lord Chief Justice Coleridge, at the age of 73. The Right Hon. John Duke Coleridge, F.R.S., D.C.L., honorary fellow of Exeter College, Oxford, was the eldest son of the late Right Hon. Sir John Taylor Coleridge, of Ottery St. Mary, Devonshire, by Mary, eldest daughter of the late Rev. Gilbert Buchanan, LL.D., and was bom in 1821. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, obtaining a scholarship at the latter place and graduating as B.A. in 1842. In 1843 he was elected to an open fellowship at Exeter # College, and graduated M.A. three years later, when he married. The same year he was called to the bar, and was for some years leader of the Western Circuit. From July 1865 to November 1873 he represented Exeter in Parliament. Previous to this he was for 10 years Recorder of Portsmouth. He will probably be best remembered by his connection with the famous Tichborne case, having been leading counsel for the Tichborne family. His masterly cross-examination of the "Claimant 1 " was the theme of admiration by almost the entire English press, aud did much to bring final discredit on the pretensions of the ex-butcher. He held the post of Soli-citor-general in Mr Gladstone's Government for three years from 1868, and that of Attorneygeneral fur two years, during which latter period he was knighted. On tho death of Sir William Bovill in 1873 Sir John Coleridge was appointed Lord Ckief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. His appointment as Lord Chief Justice, of England followed exactly seven years after, the piient for that particular titte being granted for the lirsl tinr. in English history. Lord Coleridge was a frequent contributor to currenb literature. His lordship was twice marritd, and is succeeded by tho Hou. Bernard John Seymour Coleridge, M.P. for the Atbcrcliffe division of feheffield.