Seymour Frederick Harris

Seymour Frederick Harris
Born(1851-04-18)18 April 1851
Died1920(1920-00-00) (aged 68–69)
Alma materWorcester College, Oxford
OccupationsBarrister, Anglican clergyman
Notable workHarris's Criminal Law

Seymour Frederick Harris (18 April 1851 - 1920) was an English barrister, legal scholar and Anglican clergyman.[1] He was the original author of Principles of the Criminal Law (1877), later widely known as Harris's Criminal Law, a leading[2] textbook on English criminal law.

Early life and education

Harris was born on 18 April 1851, the second son of Rev. James Harris, a Wesleyan minister of Ormskirk, Lancashire.[3] He passed the University of London Matriculation Examination in 1869, and went up to Worcester College, Oxford graduating B.A. and B.C.L. (later proceeding to M.A. by seniority).[4][5]

He was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1872 and called to the bar in the trinity term of 1875.[3]

Career

Law

Harris joined the Northern Circuit and practiced before the sessions at Liverpool, Kirkdale and Preston.[1][5] He wrote two legal texts: The Elements of Roman Law Summarized (1875);[6] and the first three editions of Principles of the Criminal Law (1877, 1881, 1884).[7][8][9]

Clergy

Harris's legal practice was brief. Although he remained on the Bar roll into the early twentieth century,[10] he entered Anglican holy orders, becoming vicar of St Michael & All Hallows (also styled St Michael & All Angels), Blackburn from 1884 until his death.[1] He wrote two further books: Earnest Young Heroes (1896);[11] and A Century of Missionary Martyrs (1897).[12]

Personal life and death

Harris married Mary Elinor Barber, daughter of William Barber QC (a Chancery barrister and Bencher of Lincoln's Inn). They had two children.[13]

He died in 1920.

References

  1. ^ a b c Foster, Joseph (1885). Men-at-the-bar: a biographical hand-list of the members of the various Inns of Court, including Her Majesty's judges, etc. London. p. 3.
  2. ^ Ringrose, C. W. (1962). Where to Look for Your Law (14th ed.). London: Sweet & Maxwell.
  3. ^ a b "Harris, Seymour Frederick". Inner Temple Collections.
  4. ^ Foster, Joseph (1885). Men-at-the-bar: a biographical hand-list of the members of the various Inns of Court, including Her Majesty's judges, etc. London : Printed for the author by Hazell, Watson, and Viney. p. 205.
  5. ^ a b Lynch, David (2005). Northern Circuit Directory 1876-2004. Bluecoat Press. p. 300. ISBN 978-1-904438-24-3.
  6. ^ Harris, Seymour, F. (1875). The Elements of Roman Law Summarized, a concise digest of the matter contained in the Institutes of Gaius and Justinian. London: Stevens & Haynes.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Harris, Seymour F. (1877). Principles of the criminal law (1st ed.). Stevens & Haynes.
  8. ^ Harris, Seymour F.; Tomlinson, Frederic P. (1881). Principles of the criminal law (2nd ed.).
  9. ^ Harris, Seymour F.; Agabeg, Aviet (1884). Principles of the criminal law (3rd ed.). Stevens & Haynes.
  10. ^ The law list : being a list of the judges and officers of the different courts of justice; counsel, special pleaders, draftsmen, conveyancers, attorneys, notaries, &c., in England and Wales. London : Stevens and Norton. 1907. p. 122.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: publisher location (link)
  11. ^ Harris, Seymour F. (1896). Earnest Young Heroes. London: James Nisbet & Co.
  12. ^ Harris, Seymour F. (1897). A Century of Missionary Martyrs. London: James Nisbet & Co.
  13. ^ "A Rededication Service for Captain Arthur Lee Harris" (PDF).