Thomas Milvain

Thomas Milvain
Milvain in 1901
Judge Advocate General
In office 31 October 1905 – 7 October 1916
Preceded by	Sir Francis Jeune
Succeeded by	Sir Felix Cassel
Member of Parliament for Durham
In office 1885–1892
Preceded by	Thomas Charles Thompson Farrer Herschell
Succeeded by	Matthew Fowler
Member of Parliament for Hampstead
In office 1902–1905
Preceded by	Edward Brodie Hoare
Succeeded by	John Fletcher
Personal details
Born	4 May 1844 Newcastle upon Tyne
Died	23 September 1916 (aged 73) Alnwick, Northumberland
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Alma mater	Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Sir Thomas Milvain KC CB (4 May 1844 – 13 September 1916) was an English lawyer and Conservative Party politician.[1][2]

Background and career

Milvain was the son of Henry Milvain of North Elswick Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne and his wife Jane Davidson, and was educated at Durham School and Trinity Hall, Cambridge,[2] where he graduated with an LL.B. in 1866 and LL.M. in 1872.[3] He was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1869,[4] and practiced on the North-Eastern Circuit.

In 1885 Milvain was elected Member of Parliament for Durham. He took silk in 1888, and after losing his parliament seat in 1892 was appointed Recorder of Bradford and Chancellor of the County Palatine of Durham. The following year, he was appointed a Bencher at Middle Temple.[2]

He stood unsuccessfully in Cockermouth, Cumberland, in 1895, and in Maidstone at a by-election in 1901. The same year, he served as Chairman of the South African Compensation Commission.[3] He was then elected MP for Hampstead at a by-election in January 1902.[5]

Milvain gave up the seat in 1905 when he was appointed Judge Advocate General, a position that he held until his death in 1916.[6] He was succeeded by Felix Cassel who had served as his deputy.[7] In 1912, Milvain was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and was knighted.[8]

Personal life

Milvain was an athletics blue in hurdles and won the National Championship over 120 yards hurdles at the 1866 AAC Championships.[9][10]

He married Mary Alice Henderson on 28 January 1875, daughter of John Henderson, and they had one son, Colonel Henry Roland Milvain (1880-1960).[11][12] He died at his house, Eglingham Hall, Alnwick, Northumberland on 23 September 1916 (aged 73).[8]

References

1. Who's Who 1910: An Annual Biographical Dictionary. London: A. & C. Black. 1910. p. 1356. OCLC 866511400.
2. "Milvain, Thomas (MLVN863T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
3. "Election intelligence - Hampstead". The Times. No. 36674. London. 25 January 1902. p. 12.
4. Debretts Guide to the House of Commons 1886
5. "No. 27401". The London Gazette. 28 January 1902. p. 581.
6. Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Judge-Advocate-General" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 538.
7. Emsley, Clive (24 January 2013). Soldier, Sailor, Beggarman, Thief: Crime and the British Armed Services since 1914. OUP Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-164703-1.
8. "Obituary". The Law Journal. 30 September 1916.
9. "WAAA and National Championships Medallists". NUTS.
10. "Amateur Athletic Club". Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle. 24 March 1866. Retrieved 19 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Death of Former M.F.H and Cricketer" (PDF). Teessale Mercury. 24 August 1960.
12. "Watson family of Barnard Castle". Durham County Record Office. 15 December 2016.

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Thomas Milvain

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Thomas Charles Thompson Farrer Herschell	Member of Parliament for Durham 1885 – 1892	Succeeded by Matthew Fowler
Preceded by Edward Brodie Hoare	Member of Parliament for Hampstead 1902 – 1905	Succeeded by John Fletcher
Legal offices
Preceded by Sir Francis Jeune	Judge Advocate General 1905 – 1916	Succeeded by Sir Felix Cassel