REYNOLDS, James (1686-1739), of Lincoln's Inn.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754, ed. R. Sedgwick, 1970
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

16 May 1717 - 16 Mar. 1725

Family and Education

b. 6 Jan. 1686, 4th s. of James Reynolds of Helion Bumpstead, Essex and Bury St. Edmunds, Suff., being o.s. by his 2nd w. Bridget Parker. (His 1st w. was Judith, da. of Sir William Hervey, M.P., gd.-fa. of the 1st Earl of Bristol). educ. Bury g. s.; Queens’, Camb. 1702; M. Temple 1703; L. Inn 1705, called 1712. m. (1) Mary (d. 18 July 1736), da. of Thomas Smith of Thrandeston Hall, Suff., s.p.; (2) July 1737, Alicia Rainbird, s.p.

Offices Held

Recorder, Bury St. Edmunds 1712-25; serjeant-at-law 1715; university counsel, Cambridge 1718; justice of King’s bench 1725-30; ld. chief baron of the Exchequer 1730-8 (res.).

Biography

Reynolds, who was connected with the Herveys through his father’s first wife, was returned in succession to Lord Bristol’s brother-in-law, Aubrey Porter. He was counsel for the Prince of Wales in 1718, when the judges were asked for their opinion as to whether the care and education of the Prince’s children belonged to the King. Absent from the division on the repeal of the Occasional Conformity and Schism Acts, he voted against the peerage bill in 1719. At the end of 1723 Lord Bristol suggested to him that he should make room for John, Lord Hervey, by applying for a judgeship, to which he was appointed a little over a year later.1

He died 9 Feb. 1739.

Ref Volumes: 1715-1754

Author: Romney R. Sedgwick

Notes

  • 1. Letter Bks. of J. Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol, ii. 339.