Thomas Reeve

Sir Thomas Reeve KC SL (1673–January 19 1737) was a British justice. He was the son of Richard Reeve, and was admitted to Trinity College, Oxford in 1688 at the age of only fifteen, and to Inner Temple in 1690. [ [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/23303?&docPos=76&backToResults= Oxford DNB: Reeve, Sir Thomas] ] In 1698 he was Called to the Bar, migrating to Middle Temple in 1713. He was called to the Inn bench in 1720, and served as treasurer in 1728. In 1717 he became a King's counsel, and in 1722 became attorney-general of the Duchy of Lancaster, succeeding Alexander Denton. He was at this point one of the most prolific barristers in Britain; An analysis of records show that in 1720 he was trying more cases than any other barrister in the Court of the King's Bench. He was appointed a judge in the King's Bench on 18 November 1723 (Old Style). [LondonGazette|issue=6217|startpage=1|date=16 November 1723 Old Style|accessdate=2008-09-15 Note that London Gazette dates are Old Style prior to the British calendar reform of 1752, and the English New Year was on 25 March until this time]

On 17 April 1733 (Old Style) [LondonGazette|issue=7187|startpage=1|date=14 April 1733 Old Style|accessdate=2008-09-15 Note that London Gazette dates are Old Style prior to the British calendar reform of 1752, and the English New Year was on 25 March until this time] he became a Puisne justice of the Court of Common Pleas, and was created a Serjeant-at-law at the same time to satisfy the minimum requirements for the office. After the death of Sir Robert Eyre in office in 1735 Reeve was rumoured to be succeeding him, but had competition in the form of Alexander Denton, who he had previously succeeded as attorney-general of the Duchy of Lancaster; Denton was rejected on grounds of ill-health, however, and Reeve was promoted on January 26 1736, and knighted at the same time. [LondonGazette|issue=7476|startpage=1|date=27 January 1735 Old Style|accessdate=2008-09-15 Note that London Gazette dates are Old Style prior to the British calendar reform of 1752, and the English New Year was on 25 March until this time] He was appointed to the Privy Council shortly after. [LondonGazette|issue=7482|startpage=1|date=17 February 1735 Old Style|accessdate=2008-09-15 Note that London Gazette dates are Old Style prior to the British calendar reform of 1752, and the English New Year was on 25 March until this time] He died in office within a year on January 19 1737, and was buried in Temple Church on January 28. He was at the time of his death very wealthy, including over £22,000 in personal property, as well as land in Berkshire and London; he was apparently courted by Lord Sidney Beauclerk, an infamous fortune-seeker, in hopes of a legacy, although without success. He was married to Annabella Topham, who's brother Richard was Keeper of the Records at the Tower of London; Beauclerk later succeeded in getting the estate of Richard in and around Windsor and Old Windsor.

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