William Baliol Brett, 1st Viscount Esher PC (13 August 1817 – 24 May 1899), English lawyer and Master of the Rolls.
Brett was a son of the Rev. Joseph G. Brett, of Chelsea. He was educated at Westminster School, King's College London and at Caius College, Cambridge. Brett rowed in the first Cambridge crew to win the University Boat Race in 1836, and which in the following year defeated the Leander Club in a race over the same course. Called to th...
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William Baliol Brett, 1st Viscount Esher PC (13 August 1817 – 24 May 1899), English lawyer and Master of the Rolls.
Brett was a son of the Rev. Joseph G. Brett, of Chelsea. He was educated at Westminster School, King's College London and at Caius College, Cambridge. Brett rowed in the first Cambridge crew to win the University Boat Race in 1836, and which in the following year defeated the Leander Club in a race over the same course. Called to the bar in 1840, he went to the northern circuit, and became a Queens Counsel in 1861.
On the death of Richard Cobden he unsuccessfully contested Rochdale as a Conservative, but in 1866 was returned for Helston in unique circumstances. He and his opponent polled exactly the same number of votes, whereupon the mayor, as returning officer, gave his casting vote for the Liberal candidate. As this vote was given after four o'clock, however, an appeal was lodged, and the House of Commons allowed both members to take their seats.
Brett rapidly made...
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