John Bell (barrister)

For other people named John Bell, see John Bell (disambiguation).

John Bell (23 October 1764 – 6 February 1836) was an English barrister and equity lawyer.

Born in Kendal, Westmoreland, Bell was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating senior wrangler in 1786 and becoming a fellow.^[1] He entered Gray's Inn in 1789, a pupil of Samuel Romilly, and was called to the bar in 1792. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1797, became a bencher of Gray's Inn in 1813 and became King's Counsel in 1816.

Despite being a notoriously poor speaker, he attained distinction as an equity lawyer at the Court of Chancery. Lord Eldon called him the best equity lawyer in England, though he could "neither read, write, walk, nor talk". Bell gave extended evidence to the Chancery Commissioners in 1824-5, and published Thoughts on Alterations in the Court of Chancery in 1830. Amongst his professional pupils was Henry Bickersteth, later Master of the Rolls and created Lord Langdale.

References

^ Bell, John in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.

J. M. Rigg, ‘Bell, John (1764–1836)’, rev. Beth F. Wood, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 5 May 2007

Persondata
Name	Bell, John
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	23 October 1764
Place of birth
Date of death	6 February 1836
Place of death