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Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead
Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead (1872–1930). Lord chancellor. Educated at Birkenhead and Oxford, Smith made a name for himself as a barrister in Liverpool where (1906) he was elected as a Conservative MP. His rhetorical onslaughts against the Liberal government brought him to the attention of the Tory die-hards, and in 1911 he joined the opposition front bench. In 1915 he became solicitor-general and then attorney-general in the wartime coalition government, and in 1919 was appointed lord chancellor; from 1924 to 1928 he served as secretary of state for India. Smith has been unfairly characterized as an unmitigated reactionary. Though a supporter of Ulster's right to opt out of Home Rule, Smith did his best to bring about a compromise in the Irish question, and played a key part in the negotiations which led to the Irish treaty of 1921. He also devoted much energy to law reform; the passage of the Law of Property Act (1922) was largely due to his efforts.
Geoffrey Alderman |
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JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-SmithFrederck1stLrdBrknhd.html JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." The Oxford Companion to British History. 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O110-SmithFrederck1stLrdBrknhd.html |
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Frederick Edwin Smith Birkenhead, 1st earl of
Frederick Edwin Smith Birkenhead, 1st earl of , 1872-1930, British statesman and jurist. He was called to the bar in 1899 and entered the House of Commons as a Conservative in 1906. A brilliant orator, he soon gained prominence as a Conservative spokesman, particularly in the fight against Irish Home Rule. He was solicitor general (1915), attorney general (1915-19), in which capacity he prosecuted Sir Roger Casement , and lord chancellor (1919-22). Created earl in 1922, he was (1924-28) secretary of state for India. His books include International Law (4th ed. 1911), Famous Trials of History (1927), Law, Life, and Letters (1927).
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"Frederick Edwin Smith Birkenhead, 1st earl of." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Frederick Edwin Smith Birkenhead, 1st earl of." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-BirkenheF.html "Frederick Edwin Smith Birkenhead, 1st earl of." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-BirkenheF.html |
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Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead
Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead (1872–1930). Lord chancellor. Educated at Birkenhead and Oxford, Smith made a name for himself as a barrister in Liverpool where (1906) he was elected as a Conservative MP. In 1915 he became solicitor‐general and then attorney‐general in the wartime coalition government, and in 1919 was appointed lord chancellor; from 1924 to 1928 he served as secretary of state for India. Though a supporter of Ulster's right to opt out of Home Rule, Smith did his best to bring about a compromise in the Irish question, and played a key part in the negotiations which led to the Irish treaty of 1921.
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Cite this article
JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (February 10, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-SmithFrederck1stLrdBrknhd.html JOHN CANNON. "Smith, Frederick E., 1st Lord Birkenhead." A Dictionary of British History. 2004. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O43-SmithFrederck1stLrdBrknhd.html |
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