William Elias Taunton

He was admitted king's scholar at Westminster School on 15 January 1785, and was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, whence he matriculated 12 June 1789, graduating with a BA 1793, and MA 1796.

In 1793 he gained the chancellor's prize for the English essay, and in 1794 was admitted student of Lincoln's Inn.

In 1801 he became a commissioner of bankrupts, and in 1806 succeeded Charles Abbot (afterwards Lord Colchester) as Recorder of Oxford.

Taunton soon in his career acquired the reputation of a black-letter lawyer; as an advocate he was a somewhat dull and slow speaker who, however, "made the monotony of his voice impressive and used his sluggishness as a power"; as a judge he was appointed too late in life to leave much mark.

He wrote Remarks upon the Conduct of the Respective Governments of France and Great Britain in the late Negotiation for Peace (1797), and assisted in preparing the edition of The Statutes of the Realm published by the Record Commission between 1810 and 1822.