The Honourable George Denman PC, QC (23 December 1819 – 21 September 1896) was an English rower, barrister, Liberal politician and High Court judge.
Denman was born at 50 Russell Square, London, the fourth son of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman of Dovedale and his wife Theodosia Anne Vevers.[1] He was educated at Repton School and at Trinity College, Cambridge.[2] At Cambridge he was an energetic rower and in 1840 rowed for Trinity in the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. In 1841 he rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race. Four days before the event he was injured in a collision on the river in a training outing with his brother. He was leeched by the junior footman and recovered sufficiently that Cambridge won the race.[3] He was also bow in the Cambridge Subscription Rooms crew that won the Grand Challenge Cup that year.[4] In 1842, he won the Colquhoun Sculls, stroked his college boat to the head of the Cam, and rowed for Cambridge again in the Boat Race and in the Grand at Henley. In 1843 he rowed for Trinity again in the Grand in a crew down to seven oarsmen because the stroke went ill and substitutions were not permitted. Trinity lost to a full Oxford University eight that won by two lengths. Denman became a Fellow of Trinity College and was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1846. He was appointed Cambridge University counsel in 1857.
In 1856 Denman stood for parliament unsuccessfully for Cambridge University. He was elected Member of Parliament for Tiverton at the 1859 UK general election and held the seat until 1865.[5] He became a Queen's Counsel (QC) in 1861. In 1866 he was re-elected MP for Tiverton. He translated Gray's Elegy into Greek and dedicated the work in 1871 to Sir Alexander Cockburn, the Lord Chief Justice. In 1872 he was appointed Justice of the Court of Common Pleas and resigned his seat in the House of Commons. Denman translated Pope’s Iliad into Latin and in 1873 dedicated it to W.E. Gladstone, the Prime Minister. In 1875 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court. In 1881 he provided an English translation of H. Kynaston’s Latin hexameters for the fiftieth anniversary of the Boat Race. He retired as a judge in 1892 and in 1893 was invested as a Privy Counsellor.
It was said of Denman that "He looked a model Judge. But he was never quite so good a Judge as he looked."[6]
Denman married Charlotte Hope, daughter of Samuel Hope, on 19 February 1852. Denman's brother Joseph Denman was an admiral.[1]
Denman died at age 76.
| Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Heathcoat Lord Palmeston |
Member of Parliament for Tiverton 1859–1865 With: Lord Palmeston |
Succeeded by John Walrond Lord Palmeston |
| Preceded by Lord Palmeston John Walrond |
Member of Parliament for Tiverton 1866–1872 With: John Walrond 1866–1868 John Heathcote-Amory 1868–1872 |
Succeeded by William Nathaniel Massey John Heathcote-Amory |