Horace Davey, Baron Davey

He was employed on young titles such as New Reports, when he joined in marriage Louisa Hawes Donkin at St George's, Camberwell.

Davey's success at law reporting allowed him to read in the chambers of John Wickens, 8 New Square, Lincoln's Inn.

He selected to join Sir George Jessel's court, often appearing before the redoubtable Joseph Chitty.

Quickly moved to the House of Lords, Davey had rapidly developed a reputation for argumentation at the bar.

As counsel his well-known cases included: Speight v. Gaunt (1883), Learoyd v. Whiteley (1887), Derry v. Peek (1889).

Devoting himself to the Chancery side, Davey soon acquired a large practice, and in 1875 became a Queen's Counsel In 1880, he was returned to Parliament as a Liberal for Christchurch, but lost his seat in 1885.

Having left parliament for the last time Davey was appointed as a bencher in Lincoln's Inn, on being promoted to the Court of Appeal on 23 September 1893.

Haldane, acting for the church successfully argued the case in point, but lost the decision, although he won the deeds of property.

The case of Allen v. Flood (1898) symbolized the number of political arguments between Liberals, like Davey and the Conservative Lord Halsbury, over the propriety of Trade Union rights.

Noakes Co v. Rice (1901) and Bradley v. Carritt (1903) were cases about the collateral benefits in mortgage laws.

Partly due to the influence of his friend, Richard Haldane, Lord Davey was appointed Chairman of the Royal Commission to reconstitute the Statutes of the University of London (1897–98).

[1] Lord Davey died on Wednesday, 20 February 1907, at 86 Brook Street, London W1, of acute bronchitis.