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Sir Rigby Philip Watson Swift KC (7 June 1874 - 19 October 1937) was a British barrister, Member of Parliament and judge. Born into a family of solicitors and barristers, Swift was educated at Parkfield School before taking up a place in his father's chambers and at the same time studying for his LLB at the University of London. After completing his degree in January 1895 he was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn on 26 June. He took up a place in his father's chambers, and his work steadily increased. After the death of his father on 26 September 1899 he took over the chambers, and by 1904 he was earning 3,000 guineas a year. By 1909 he was considered the most prestigious junior barrister in Liverpool, and in 1910 he became the Conservative Member of Parliament for St Helens. He moved to London in 1911, and was made a King's Counsel in 1912. His work continued to increase, and by 1916 he was earning 10,000 guineas a year. In the same year he became Recorder of Wigan and a Bencher of Lincoln's Inn. In 1917 he defended Frederick Handel Booth in ''Gruban v Booth'', and in 1918 he represented the Air Ministry in front of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the Women's Royal Air Force. On 21 June 1920 he was made a judge of the High Court of Justice by the Lord Chancellor Lord Birkenhead, and became the youngest High Court judge at the time. In 1921 he heard the "Sinn Féin case", an application of the controversial Treason Felony Act 1848, and his decision in ''Nunan v Southern Railway Company'' () 2 K.B. 703 was an important one in relation to exclusion clauses and liability, and was referenced by Lord Hanworth in the later case ''Thompson v LMS Railway''. Swift died on 19 October 1937 while still a High Court judge, and was buried in Rotherfield. ==Early life and education== Swift was born on 7 June 1874 at Hardshaw Hall, Lancashire to Thomas Swift and his second wife Emily. The male members of the family were mostly lawyers - Thomas Swift was a solicitor, three of his sons also became solicitors, his brother was a registrar and his cousin, Sir John Rigby was a barrister and later judge.〔Fay (1938) p.1〕 After John Rigby became a King's Counsel in 1880, Thomas Swift switched paths and became a barrister. He specialised in criminal work, and served as counsel in the trial of Florence Maybrick.〔Fay (1938) p.2〕 His career change had a great impact on the family - they moved from Lancashire to Liverpool (where Thomas Swift's Chambers were) and Rigby Swift was undoubtedly influenced by his father's career when it came to choosing one of his own.〔Fay (1938) p.3〕 After some time spent with a governess, Swift began formal education at the age of 10 when he attended a small preparatory school. The school was not a good one - Swift later wrote that "I was immoderately bullied... during the whole time I was there I think I learnt nothing."〔Fay (1938) p.4〕 In May 1886 he moved to Parkfield School, where he became head boy and held a "kindly, easy authority".〔 In 1892 he began studying to become a barrister in a way completely unique - by working at his father's set of chambers from the age of 17.〔 Standard practice was for a student to do a law degree and study the legal theory, before moving to a set of chambers as a pupil to learn the practical application of the law. Swift instead studied both simultaneously, and became noticed by the solicitors of Liverpool before he was even called to the Bar.〔Fay (1938) p.6〕 At this time he became a friend of Frederick Greer, later Baron Fairfield and Lord Chancellor. As well as the practical work in his father's chambers, Swift also studied at the University of London, gaining an LLB in January 1895 before he was 21, and frequently spoke at the Liverpool Law Students Society, where he debated with Henry McCardie.〔Fay (1938) p.7〕 On 26 June 1895 he was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn by Joseph Chitty,〔Pritchard (1968) p.5〕 and became qualified to practice as a barrister.〔Fay (1938) p.8〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Rigby Swift」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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