Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book. The book is primarily a study of the personnel and institutions of the English bar during the reign of Queen Victoria, but it is more than simply the chronicle of an ancient and respected profession. It examines the dimensions of the bar and the origins of its members. The book discusses the governance of the profession and the careers of practising barristers in England and her colonies. It explains the members of the bar as wealth-holders, landowners and company directors. Prosopography seemed the most effective means of investigating the structure and character of the bar. During the nineteenth century thousands of men were called to the English bar. The book focuses on two vital aspects, namely the scope of the subject matter and the methodology employed in analysing it.