John Strange (English politician)

Sir John Strange PC KC (1696 – 18 May 1754) was a British politician and judge. He was born to another John Strange and his second wife, Mary Plaistowe. He became a student 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] He married Susan Strong on 14 May 1722; they had two sons and nine daughters, including John Strange, a noted diplomat and philosopher. 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. 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 il-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 published his court reports.^[1] He was buried in the Rolls Chapel,^[3] as was his successor Sir Thomas Clarke. His epitaph is

Here lies an honest lawyer,
and that is Strange.^[4][5]

References

Bibliography

Wikisource has the text of the 1885–1900 Dictionary of National Biography's article about Strange, John (1696-1754).

• 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. 

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