Sir Joseph William Chitty (28 May 1828 – 15 February 1899) was an English

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

er,

rower Rowing, often called crew in the United States, is the sport of racing boats using oars. It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars (called blades in the United Kingdom) are attached to the boat using rowlocks, while paddles are ...

, judge and Liberal politician.

Early life

Chitty was born in London, the second son of Thomas Chitty (himself son and brother of well-known lawyers), a celebrated

special pleader A special pleader was a historical legal occupation. The practitioner, or "special pleader" in English law specialised in drafting "pleadings", in modern terminology statements of case. History Up to the 19th century, there were many rules, tech ...

and writer of legal textbooks, under whose teaching many distinguished lawyers began their legal education. Joseph Chitty was educated at

Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...

and

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

, gaining a first-class in Literae Humaniores in 1851, and being afterwards elected to a fellowship at Exeter College.

Sporting distinctions

Chitty was an all round sportsman with distinctions during his school and college career in athletics. He was a

wicket-keeper and played in the

Eton v Harrow The Eton v Harrow cricket match is an annual match between public school rivals Eton College and Harrow School. It is the oldest modern sporting rivalry between two schools, one of the longest-running annual sporting fixtures in the world and ...

match in four years, captaining Eton in 1847. He also kept wicket for

Marylebone Cricket Club The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at Lord's, Lord's Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John's Wood, London, England. The club was the governing body of cricket from 1788 to 1989 and retain ...

(MCC) in 1846 and 1847. He played for

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

in 1848 and 1849, partaking in

the Varsity match The Varsity Match is an annual rugby union fixture played between the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England. The event began in 1872 with the first men's match, with interruptions only for the two World Wars and the COVID-19 pandemic ...

each year. Oxford won in 1848, but lost in 1849. In cricket, he played 12 innings in 7 first-class matches with an average of 15.66 and a top score of 20. He took 6 catches and stumped three times. Chitty rowed in the

crew in both the

Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. It is also known as the Uni ...

s that were run in 1849, the March race and the December race, each university winning once. He rowed in the Oxford University eight that won the

Grand Challenge Cup The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing (sport), rowing competition for men's eight (rowing), eights. It is the oldest and best-known event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male cr ...

Henley Royal Regatta Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a Rowing (sport), rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It diffe ...

in 1850 when there was no Boat Race on the

Tideway The Tideway is the part of the River Thames in England which is subject to tides. This stretch of water is downstream from Teddington Lock. The Tideway comprises the upper Thames Estuary including the Pool of London. Tidal activity Depending ...

. He also rowed in the Oxford

coxed four A coxed four, abbreviated as a 4+, is a racing shell used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars and is steered by a coxswain. The crew consists of four rowers, each having one ...

that won the

Stewards' Challenge Cup The Stewards' Challenge Cup is a rowing event for men's coxless fours at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through ...

at Henley and in the same year he won the

Silver Goblets The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup is a Rowing (sport), rowing event for men's coxless pairs at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs ...

, the first year the

coxless pair A coxless pair, abbreviated as a 2- and also known as a straight pair, is a racing shell used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars. The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each ...

event was run under that name. His partner was

James John Hornby James John Hornby CVO (18 December 1826 – 2 November 1909) was an English rower and headmaster of Eton College from 1868 to 1884. Early life Hornby was born at Winwick, the third son of Admiral Sir Phipps Hornby and his wife Sophia Maria B ...

and they beat

Thomas Howard Fellows Thomas Howard Fellows (October 1822 – 8 April 1878) was an English rower and an Australian politician and Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Early life in England Fellows was born at Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, the son of Thomas Fe ...

and C L Vaughan in the final. He repeated his success in the Grand Challenge Cup, and in the Silver Goblets in 1851 partnering James Aitken in the latter to beat

John Erskine Clarke John Erskine Clarke (1827–1920) was a British clergyman who issued the first parish magazine. He established several other religious publications and was responsible for founding churches schools and hospitals in Battersea. He also competed a ...

and C L Vaughan in the final. In 1852, he stroked the winning Oxford crew in the 1852 Boat Race. In 1853 he was in the Oxford four that won Stewards again and was playing cricket for

I Zingari I Zingari (from dialectalized Italian , meaning "the Gypsies"; corresponding to standard Italian ') are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs, founded in 1845 and 1888 respectively. It is the oldest and perhaps the most famous of the ' ...

. For many years Chitty umpired the Boat Race. In 1873 Chitty responded to Dr J Morgan, who was investigating the health effects of rowing.

"In answer to your questions, I may state that during my residence at Oxford I rowed in the University Eight against Cambridge three times at Putney, and once at Henley. I also rowed in the University Four, and in Pair-Oar Races at Oxford, Henley and the Thames Regatta. My own personal experience extends over a period of about five years, during a great part of which I was rowing in races. I am not aware that I have in any way suffered in health, either from the training or the rowing; on the contrary, my belief is that I derived from them great benefit physically."

Legal and political career

Chitty entered

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

in 1851, was called to the bar in 1856, and made a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1874, electing to practise as such in the court of Sir George Jessel,

Master of the Rolls The Keeper or Master of the Rolls and Records of the Chancery of England, known as the Master of the Rolls, is the President of the Court of Appeal (England and Wales)#Civil Division, Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales ...

. In 1880, he entered the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

as member for the city of Oxford. His parliamentary career was short, for in 1881 the

Judicature Act Judicature Act is a term which was used in the United Kingdom for legislation which related to the Supreme Court of Judicature. List United Kingdom :The Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1873 ( 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66) :The Supreme Court of Judicature ...

required that the Master of the Rolls should cease to sit regularly as a judge of first instance, and Chitty was selected to fill the vacancy thus created in the

Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

. Sir Joseph Chitty was for sixteen years a popular judge, in the best meaning of the phrase, being noted for his courtesy, geniality, patience and scrupulous fairness, as well as for his legal attainments, and being much respected and liked by those practising before him, in spite of a habit of interrupting counsel, possibly acquired through the example of Sir George Jessel. In 1897, upon the retirement of Sir Edward Kay, L.J., he was promoted to the

Court of Appeal An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...

. There he added to his reputation as a lawyer and a judge, proving that he possessed considerable knowledge of the common law as well as of equity.

Personal life

In 1858, he married Clara Jessie, daughter of Chief

Baron Pollock Sir Charles Edward Pollock (31 October 1823 – 21 November 1897) was an English judge, one of the last Barons of the Court of the Exchequer and serjeants-at-law. Life Charles Edward Pollock was born on 31 October 1823, the fourth son of Sir ...

, leaving children who could claim descent from two of the best-known English legal families of the 19th century. Grandchildren included

Letitia Chitty Letitia Chitty (15 July 1897 – 29 September 1982) was an English engineer who became a respected structural analytical engineer, achieving several firsts for women engineers, including becoming the first female fellow of the Royal Aeronautica ...

(1897 – 1982) a structural analytical engineer who became the first female fellow of the

Royal Aeronautical Society The Royal Aeronautical Society, also known as the RAeS, is a British multi-disciplinary professional institution dedicated to the global aerospace community. Founded in 1866, it is the oldest Aeronautics, aeronautical society in the world. Memb ...

Cases

*''

Sumpter v Hedges ''Sumpter v Hedges'' 8981 QB 673 is an English contract law case concerning substantial performance of a contract and restitution for unjust enrichment. Facts Mr Sumpter was a builder. He had a contract to build two houses and stables for Mr H ...

'' *'' Cann v Willson'' (1888) 39 Ch D 39

Notes

References

* * * The Rowers of Vanity Fair – J W Chitty

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chitty, Joseph 1828 births 1899 deaths Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Lord justices of appeal Chancery Division judges Fellows of Exeter College, Oxford Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies People educated at Eton College English cricketers Oxford University cricketers English male rowers UK MPs 1880–1885 Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Gentlemen of England cricketers Oxford and Cambridge Universities cricketers Knights Bachelor Chitty family