Who was Sir William Blackstone?
Q: Who was Sir William Blackstone?
A: Sir William Blackstone was an English jurist, judge and Tory party politician of the eighteenth century. He is most noted for writing the Commentaries on the Laws of England.
Q: Where did he grow up?
A: Sir William Blackstone grew up in a middle-class family in London.
Q: What education did he receive?
A: He was educated at Charterhouse School before matriculating at Pembroke College, Oxford in 1738 and then went on to complete a Bachelor of Civil Law degree.
Q: What positions did he hold at All Souls College, Oxford?
A: After completing his degree, he was made a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford in November 1743 and held the positions of accountant, treasurer and bursar on 28 November 1746 as well as Senior Bursar in 1750.
Q: How successful were his lectures on law?
A: His lectures on law were massively successful and earned him a total of £453 (£71,000) per year which led to the publication of An Analysis of the Laws of England in 1756.
Q: What is his most important work?
A: His most important work is Commentaries on the Laws of England which was published over four volumes from November 1765 onwards and earned him £14,000 (£1,961,000 in 2022 terms).
Q: What position did he hold until his death?
A: Until his death on 14 February 1780, Blackstone held a position as a judge within the judiciary system.
