Richard Baggallay


Sir Richard Baggallay PC was a British barrister followed by Conservative Member of Parliament for eight years during which he served in the government over a year as Attorney-General for England and Wales. He was then appointed judge of the Court of Appeal where after eight years of service he is noted to have last taken part in a major decision which was to have broad effect in 1884.

Background and education

Baggallay was one of the sons of Richard Baggallay, of Stockwell, a member of the Merchant Taylors' Company and a significant warehouseman of the City of London. He attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge where he graduated with a BA in 1839 followed by an MA in 1842. He was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, in 1843.

Political and legal career

Bagallay sat as a Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Hereford from 1865 to 1868. He was knighted on 14 December 1868 after losing his seat, but was re-elected in 1870 as MP for Mid Surrey, holding the seat until 1875. He served briefly as Solicitor-General under Benjamin Disraeli in 1868 and again in 1874, and as Attorney-General under Disraeli from 1874 to 1875. In 1875, he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed to the newly established Court of Appeal, where he served until his death in 1888.

Judgments

He married, on 25 February 1847, Marianne, youngest daughter of Henry Charles Lacy of Withdean Hall, Sussex, by whom he left children.
In later years Baggallay suffered from poor health and died while convalescing at 10 Brunswick Square, Hove, Sussex. He was buried at South Metropolitan Cemetery at Norwood.

Legacy

Aside from certain of his judicial co-decisions and occasional dissents which proved to be of long importance - decisions of the Court of Appeal have binding authority unless and until reshaped at that level, above or by statute - his probate was re-sworn in 1890 leaving assets of. He left executors as his widow at 55 Queens Gate, South Kensington and three sons, who lived at their houses in Elm Park Road, Chelsea and Onslow Square.