John Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner

For other people named John Hamilton, seeJohn Hamilton (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable The Viscount Sumner GCBPC
Contemporary photograph of Lord Sumner by Walter Thomas
Personal details
Born	(1859-02-03)3 February 1859 Chorlton-upon-Medlock,Lancashire
Died	24 May 1934(1934-05-24)(aged 75)
Nationality	British
Spouse	Maude Margaret Todd ​ (m.1892)​
Alma mater	Balliol College, Oxford

John Andrew Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner,GCB,PC(3 February 1859 – 24 May 1934) was a British lawyer and judge. He was appointed a judge of theHigh Court of Justice (King's Bench Division)in 1909, aLord Justice of Appealin 1912 and aLord of Appeal in Ordinary(Law Lord) in 1913. Created a life peer as Baron Sumner in 1913, he was further honoured when he was granted a hereditary peerage as Viscount Sumner in 1927.

Background and education

Hamilton was born inChorlton-upon-Medlock,Lancashire,the second son of Andrew Hamilton, an iron merchant ofManchester,and his wife, Frances, daughter of Joseph Sumner.He was baptised at theChurch of St Wilfrid, Northenden.

Hamilton was educated atManchester Grammar SchoolandBalliol College, Oxford.In 1883, he wascalled to the bar,Inner Temple.Hamilton was a Fellow ofMagdalen College, Oxford,for seven years from 1892 and was nominated an honorary fellow in 1909.He received anHonorary Doctorate of Lawsby theUniversity of Edinburghin 1913 and by theUniversity of Manchesterin 1919.One year later, Hamilton obtained also anHonorary Doctorate of Civil Lawby theUniversity of Oxford.

Judicial career

Hamilton joined in theNorthern Circuitand became aKing's Counselin 1901.He was elected a standing counsel to the Oxford University in 1906, a post he held for the next three years.On his appointment as Judge of theHigh Court of Justice (King's Bench Division)in 1909, he wasknightedand invested abencher.In 1912 he became aLord Justice of Appealand sworn of thePrivy Council.Already in the following year, Hamilton became aLord of Appeal in Ordinaryand created alife peerasBaron Sumner,of Ibstone, in the County of Buckingham.He was further honoured, when on 31 January 1927, he created ahereditary peerageasViscount Sumner,of Ibstone, in the County of Buckingham.Hamilton retired as judge in 1930.

Further career

In 1908, Hamilton was Inspector in the Swansea Education Dispute.In theHouse of Lords,he was chairman of the Working Classes Cost of Living, the British Cellulose Enquiry and the British and Foreign Legal Procedure committees.Hamilton took part at theTreaty of Versaillesin 1919 as delegate of the reparations commission, for which he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of theOrder of the Bath(GCB) in the1920 Birthday Honours.In the next year, he chaired the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action.

Family and legacy

In 1892, he married Maude Margaret Todd, the second daughter of Reverend John Wood Todd,a Baptist minister who with his wife founded what becameTudor Hall School.Hamilton's marriage was childless, and with Hamilton's death, the viscountcy became extinct.

In 2009, a biography of Lord Sumner was published by Anthony Lentin.

Arms

Coat of arms of John Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner

Crest A Deer Hound's Head couped at the neck Argent charged with two Chevrons as in the Arms Escutcheon Ermine a Chevron interlaced with another reversed between three Cinquefoils Gules Motto Loi et loyaute

Famous judgements

• Bowman v The Secular Society(1917)
• Elder Dempster & Co v Paterson Zochonis & Co(1924)

External links

• Hansard1803–2005:contributions in Parliament by John Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumner
• Portraits of John Hamilton, 1st Viscount Sumnerat theNational Portrait Gallery, London