Pious Perjury

Garrow’s aggressive style of cross-examination often uncovered circumstantial information that motivated juries to bend the rules and reduce the severity of punishment.

In episode 2 of series 3 of “Garrow’s  Law” on BBC1, two men are accused of destroying silk looms in an act of industrial sabotage. When the jury bring in a verdict of not guilty on the one against whom his co-accused had pleaded King’s Evidence to secure his own release, Justice Buller told the jury to change their verdict –  but they declined to do so. This is an example of what is called jury nullification.

Continue reading “Pious Perjury”

Garrow’s Law and the Real Story of Women’s Rights

Episode one of the new series of ‘Garrow’s Law’ – shown last Sunday the 13th November 2011 on BBC1 – set the basis of the next episode. Lady Sarah, Garrow’s lover, sets out to obtain custody of her infant son. Despite being warned by Garrow and Southouse that as a married woman she has no rights at law, she issues an application for his custody.

Continue reading “Garrow’s Law and the Real Story of Women’s Rights”

Arthur Hill in Life and in “Garrow’s Law”

Comparing fact and fiction in terms of family, fortune, politics and intriguing relationships

Arthur Hill, the chief antagonist in the BBC award-winning historic drama, “Garrow’s Law,” was an actual person. For those readers interested in the real story behind this character, the following biographical sketch will fill in some of the facts, especially as it relates to the storyline in “Garrow’s Law.” Indeed, Arthur Hill’s real story is a drama of historic interest on it’s own, and does touch the lives of William Garrow, and “Lady” Sarah. Continue reading “Arthur Hill in Life and in “Garrow’s Law””

Painting of Garrow’s Seaside Property

The spectacular views of William Garrow’s seaside property in the Kent village of Pegwell have been captured by artists in famous paintings. The white chalk cliffs that border the property on Pegwell Bay drop straight down to the water’s edge. As the tide goes out, the water recedes exposing a beach at the bottom of the cliffs. Visitors are drawn to explore the nooks and crannies of the cliffs, and the shells, rocks and underwater plants that inhabit the ocean’s edge. Continue reading “Painting of Garrow’s Seaside Property”

The Reverend David Garrow (Sir William Garrow’s Father)

The Reverend David Garrow (1715-1805) was born and raised near the village of Aberlour in northern Scotland. He studied at King’s College, Aberdeen, graduating in 1736 with a Master of Arts degree, and was then ordained into the Church of England. In 1747 he started at Monken Hadley in Hertfordshire The Priory, a boarding school which prepared boys for commercial careers such as the East India Company, and served as headmaster for the rest of his working life. He married Sarah Lowndes (1723-1789) in 1748 and together they raised a family of 5 children to adulthood, Edward, Eleanora, Jane, Joseph and William. Eleanora stayed home and cared for her parents, and the others had highly successful careers in England and India. It is interesting to note that the person who became Sir William Garrow was their third child to be named William, the first two dying as infants.

Continue reading “The Reverend David Garrow (Sir William Garrow’s Father)”

Pegwell Lodge After the Second World War

Bryan Moyler wrote to us with lots of interesting bits of trivia and some interesting photos of William Garrow’s former home. These pictures date from the 1950s and show better than any others we on the website to date the kind of splendour Garrow enjoyed in his cliff-top position (obviously you have to see past the caravans – but the sheer number does somewhat emphasise the size of the plot and in such a prime situation).

‘I lived at Pegwell lodge from 1951 to 1966. The house was derelict after the army left in 1945 (?). Mr father (Albert Moyler) took on a 7-year lease from Ramsgate B.C. at £500 per annum in 1951 (the photo – taken in 1952 – shows the shop on the left, bar in the centre, ballroom extreme right). He started the caravans in 1951….. holidays were very simple all those years ago.

Continue reading “Pegwell Lodge After the Second World War”