Robert was from Kilgarriff, County Cork, Mary's father from Newington, Kent, and her mother from Merioneth, Wales.

Atkin was called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1891 and scoured the London law courts assessing the quality of the advocates so as to decide where to apply for pupillage.

[5] He eventually established a practice in commercial law, in particular in work on behalf of the London Stock Exchange, and became known as a subtle advocate with no need to rely on theatrical effects.

[1] His practice grew from about 1900 and made a favourable impression when appearing before the future Prime Minister of the United Kingdom H. H. Asquith who was sitting as an arbitrator.

However, Lord Justices Scrutton and Bankes held otherwise and their majority prevailed over Atkin's dissenting judgment.

[14] From 1928 until his death he was a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary under the title Baron Atkin, of Aberdovey, in the County of Merioneth.

[15] An Anglican, Atkin was strongly motivated by his Christian faith and relied on testing the law against the demands of common sense and the interests of the ordinary working man.

[1] He is also remembered for his dissenting judgment in Liversidge v Anderson, in which he unsuccessfully asserted the courts' right to question the wide discretionary powers of the Home Secretary to detain subjects suspected of having 'hostile associations'.

William also subsequently moved to London and was important in helping Atkin to establish his stock exchange contacts.

[citation needed] Atkin enjoyed the music hall and in particular the humour of George Robey and Marie Lloyd.

[17] In 1912 Atkin realised his ambition of buying a house Craig-y-Don in Aberdovey and from that time, he spent every summer there with his family.

[19] Atkin was popular with the community in Aberdovey and was paraded into the village on a hand-drawn cab on his appointment to the High Court.