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Judge Jeffreys

© John Neill

I have to make a confession. For my first article on Famous Salopeans ( native of Shropshire) my subject is not a Salopean and in many peoples eyes he is more infamous than famous. However Judge George Jeffreys is a worthy subject with strong connections to Shropshire. In turbulent times he rose to be an adviser to the King, holder of one of the great offices of state and one of the most hated and feared men in England.

Early Life

Educated in Shrewsbury, the second son of a Royalist family, George Jeffreys embarked on a career in law in London. Due partly to the plague which resulted in a scarcity of lawyers George made good progress but his lavish lifestyle needed funding and as many second sons did he looked for a rich wife.

Elopement plans with a young heiress were thwarted by her father and George was never allowed to see the girl again. George however realised he had fallen in love with the companion to the heiress, Sarah Needham, a clergyman's daughter. They were happily married for the next 11 years until her untimely death in 1678.

Rise

George rose steadily and by 1671 he was Common Serjeant of the City of London attending meetings of the Corporation of the City of London. This position brought him into contact with advisers of King Charles II . In 1677 he was knighted made a King's Council and with Charles's patronage became Recorder of London in 1678. This position entailed delivering the verdicts of the court rather than sitting as a judge and it is from here that George's reputation begins to grow. In 1679 Titus Oates claimed to have unravelled a plot to kill Charles II and replace him with his Catholic brother James. Although Charles did not believe the plot anti-Catholic feeling ran high and many of those named were executed or transported. Whilst George did not prosecute any of the cases he did deliver the verdicts.

In June 1683 another, genuine, plot to kill both Charles and his brother James was uncovered. The Rye House Plot resulted in another round of executions this time against Protestants who wished to place the Duke of Monmouth on the throne. Again George's duty was only to proclaim the sentences but he now had Catholic and Protestant enemies. Later in 1683 Charles made George Lord Chief Justice. He was 38 and the youngest man ever to hold the post.