Baron Lefroy at Work

I see that the recent post of Jane Christmas Lefroy has created such a surge into the BJ Fansite in the best and ‘worst’ sense, perhaps :-D Thus, while dear readers digest upon the Jane Christmas post, and also to celebrate our 100th post, here I present you Baron Lefroy at work.

Memoir of Chief Justice Lefroy (1871, p. 228) mentioned that Thomas Langlois Lefroy was given the ‘Baron’ post in the Court of Exchequer a few days after November 5^th, 1841 (Letter from Mr. Roden, 5^th November 1841). Stealing from Wikipedia, I found out that Irish Exchequer is the department or ministry that deals with financial and monetary matters. Hence, Lord Chief Baron has such responsibility: ‘in the absence of both the Treasurer of the Exchequer or First Lord of the Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was he who presided in the equity court and answered the bar i.e. spoke for the court.’ Thus, Baron of Exchequer is ‘the most important office of the court of the Exchequer.’

The Illustrated London News, dated Saturday, May 27, 1848 had the rather comical sketch (above) and the following text (thanks again to Linda):

We give, also, a characteristic Sketch from the Bench, introducing Baron Lefroy and Judge Moore; with the Lord Mayor of Dublin, who is joined in commission with the Judges.

It seems that Baron Lefroy was indeed in his ‘serious mode’ that day. Wish I can find a picture of him laughing…or at least, smiling cheerfully.