John Strange (English politician)

Sir John Strange PC KC (1696 – 18 May 1754) was a British politician and judge.

John Strange
Master of the Rolls
In office
11 January 1750 – 18 May 1754
Nominated byLord Hardwicke
Preceded bySir William Fortescue
Succeeded bySir Thomas Clarke
Solicitor General for England and Wales
In office
28 January 1737 – December 1742
Nominated byLord Hardwicke
Preceded bySir Dudley Ryder
Succeeded bySir William Murray
Personal details
Born1696
Died18 May 1754(1754-05-18) (aged 57–58)
NationalityBritish
Children2 sons & 9 daughters
ResidenceLeyton Grange
ProfessionBarrister, judge, politician

John Strange's life edit

He was born to another John Strange of Fleet Street, London and his second wife, Mary Plaistowe. He studied Law at the Middle Temple on 11 July 1712 before starting a pupillage at the chambers of Charles Salkeld, who trained (among others) Lord Hardwicke.[1] He was called to the Bar on 27 October 1718.[2]

In 1735 he bought the lease of Leyton Grange House in Leyton, then in Essex. In 1725 he represented Lord Macclesfield at his impeachment,[1] and he was made a King's Counsel on 9 February 1736. The same year, he became a Bencher of Middle Temple.[2]

He was appointed Solicitor General for England and Wales on 28 January 1737, and was made a Member of Parliament for West Looe to allow him to take his position.[1] After the death of the Master of the Rolls Joseph Jekyll on 19 August 1738, Strange was invited to succeed him, but declined the offer.[2] He became Recorder of London in November 1739, and on 12 May 1740 he was knighted, along with Dudley Ryder, the Attorney General for England and Wales.[3] He resigned as Member of Parliament for West Looe in 1741, but was reelected for Totnes in a by-election in 1742.

In December 1742 he resigned as Recorder of London and Solicitor General, claiming ill-health, and also limited his practice as a barrister to the Court of King's Bench.[1] In 1750 Lord Hardwicke convinced him to become Master of the Rolls, and he took his position on 11 January. On 17 March he was made a Privy Councillor. He served as master of the Rolls for four years until his death on 18 May 1754. After his death, his son John Strange, who had inherited (and sold) Grange House, published his father's court reports.[1] He was buried in the Rolls Chapel,[4] as was his successor Sir Thomas Clarke. His epitaph is

Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.[5][6]


Family edit

On 14 May 1722 he married Susannah Strong, eldest daughter of Edward Strong the Younger sculptor and mason of St Paul's Cathedral.[7] They had two sons and nine daughters. This included John Strange.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e Foss (1870) p.636
  2. ^ a b c Hanham, A. A. (2004). "Oxford DNB article: Strange, Sir John (subscription needed)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26635. Retrieved 7 June 2009. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ "No. 7909". The London Gazette. 10 May 1740. p. 2.
  4. ^ White (1892) p.450
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ Epitaphiana: or, The curiosities of churchyard literature, being a miscellaneous collection of epitaphs with an introduction giving an account of various customs prevailing amongst the ancients and moderns in the disposal of their dead (1875) 262 (p132)
  7. ^ Dictionary of British Sculptors 1660-1859 by Rupert Gunnis

Bibliography edit

  • Foss, Edward (1870). A Biographical Dictionary of the Justices of England (1066 - 1870). Spottiswoode and Company.
  • White, William (1892). Notes and queries. Oxford University Press.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for West Looe
1737–1741
With: John Owen
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Totnes
1742–1754
With: Sir Joseph Danvers 1742–1747
Charles Taylor 1747–1754
Browse Trist 1754
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Solicitor General for England and Wales
28 January 1737 – December 1742
Succeeded by
Preceded by Master of the Rolls
11 January 1750 – 18 May 1754
Succeeded by