James Alan Park

Sir James Allan Park KC (6 April 1763 – 8 December 1838) was a British judge. He was the son of James Park, a surgeon from Edinburgh, and was brought up in Edinburgh until his father's practice moved to Surrey. He was educated first at Northampton Grammar School and then at Lincoln's Inn. He was called to the bar on 18 June 1784 and in 1787 published a successful Treatise on the Law of Marine Insurance, which was reprinted six times during his life.[1] That brought him a good practice, although he was not noticed as a particularly distinguished advocate. In 1791, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and in 1795 became a Recorder of Preston, seen as the first step towards becoming a judge. He became a King's Counsel in 1799, Attorney General of the County Palatine of Durham in 1802 and Attorney-General of Lancaster in 1811.[1] He was made one of the Justices of the Court of Common Pleas on 22 January 1816 and knighted at the same time. He received a DCL from Oxford University in 1834 and died on 8 December 1838, leaving two sons: James Allan Park, who became a priest, and Alexander Atherton Park, who became a barrister.[1]

A system of the law of marine insurances, 1800.

He was said to bear a striking physical resemblance to King George III, which led to much gossip about his true paternity. He dismissed all such talk with the remark: "King George III was never in Scotland and my mother was never out of Scotland".

References

1. "Oxford DNB article: Park, Sir James Alan". Oxford University Press. 2004. Retrieved 2009-01-15.