John Lawrance
Sir John Lawrance | |
|---|---|
"Long Lawrance", caricature in Vanity Fair, 1897. | |
| Justice of the High Court | |
| In office 24 February 1890 – 15 April 1912 | |
| Preceded by | Sir William Field |
| Member of Parliament for Stamford | |
| In office 1885–1890 | |
| Preceded by | Marston Clarke Buszard |
| Succeeded by | Henry Cust |
| Member of Parliament for South Lincolnshire | |
| In office 1880–1885 | |
| Preceded by | Edmund Turnor Sir William Welby-Gregory, Bt. |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Compton Lawrance 30 May 1832 |
| Died | 5 December 1912 (aged 80) |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouse |
Charlotte Georgina Smart
(m. 1861) |
| Children | 1 |
Sir John Compton Lawrance, PC (30 May 1832 – 5 December 1912) was an English judge and Conservative Party politician. He was Conservative MP for South Lincolnshire from 1880 to 1885 and for Stamford from 1885 until 1890, when he was appointed to the High Court, where he served until 1912.
One of Lord Halsbury's political appointments to the bench as Lord Chancellor, Lawrance acquired a degree of notoriety for his incompetence as a judge, at least in commercial cases. His conduct of one commercial action was said to be so inept that it was credited with the creation of the Commercial Court, earning him the moniker "the Only Begetter of the Commercial Court". He was, however, said to be a good criminal judge and was personally well-liked.