Sir James Parker (28 March 1803 – 1852) was a British barrister who became Vice Chancellor of the High Court. Parker was born in Glasgow, the son of Charles Stuart Parker and his wife Mary Rainey. He was educated at Glasgow Grammar School and

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...

, where he stood seventh wrangler in the Tripos in 1825. He contributed ''Arithmetic and Algebra'' in fours parts (1827–1830) to the Library of Useful Knowledge (authorship by a Mr. Parker, AM, is identified in an edition in 1847, and clinched, for example, in advertisements on 16 January and 17 July 1860 in ''Publishers' Circular and Bookseller's' Record'' ). In 1829, he was called to the bar at

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 ...

and was an equity draftsman and conveyancer. He practiced on the Northern circuit and became

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 1844. Parker purchased the estate of

Rothley Temple Rothley Temple, or more correctly Rothley Preceptory, (pronounced ''Rowth-Ley'') was a preceptory (a religious establishment operated by certain orders of monastic knights) in the village of Rothley, Leicestershire, England, associated with bo ...

from his father-in-law

Thomas Babington Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (; 18 December 1758 – 21 November 1837) was an English philanthropist and politician. He was a member of the Clapham Sect, alongside more famous abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and Hannah More. An ...

in 1845. Parker became a

Vice-Chancellor A vice-chancellor (commonly called a VC) serves as the chief executive of a university in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, other Commonwealth of Nati ...

in 1851 and received a knighthood. However he died the following year at the age of 49 from angina pectoris and was buried in the chapel at Rothley. Parker married Mary Babington, third daughter of Thomas Babington in 1829. Their daughter Susan Emma Parker married Archibald Smith and their son James Parker was a successful rower. Parker was the uncle of Charles Stuart Parker MP. An obituary notice appeared in the issue of ''Gentleman's Magazine'' for October, 1852.

Arms

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Parker, James 1803 births 1852 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge British barristers Vice Chancellors (Court of Chancery) Knights Bachelor Members of Lincoln's Inn English King's Counsel