John de Fontibus (de Pherd) was Abbot of Fountains and then Bishop of Ely and Lord treasurer 1220-1225. He was reputed as a saint, but never received formal cult; he was commemorated on 19 June.
A member of the Kent School, Connecticut, Crew at Henley.
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches in 1861 to form Francis Webster and Riches. From that time until 1907 the firm continued changing its name to reflect the partners involved. It also retained its connections to the Francis family with two of Clement's sons, Thomas Musgrave and Walter Hamond, becoming partners. Walter's son Walter Maclaren became the third generation to work for the firm after he joined as an assistant in 1925 and then partner from 1931 (he retired as a partner in 1968 but was retained as a consultant until his death in 1970 which brought to an end 120 years of continuous service by the Francis family). In 1907 a decision was taken to shorten the name to Francis & Co and this remained the name (irrespective of partners) until 1987.
Clients included: Barclays Bank; the University; a large number of the Colleges (including Jesus, Corpus Christi, Clare, Downing, Emmanuel, St Johns and Trinity); prominent Cambridgeshire families; Addenbrooke’s hospital; the Evelyn Nursing Home; Girton and Newnham and Ely Diocesan Board of Finance. By the time the Second World War broke out they were the biggest firm of solicitors in Cambridge with five partners whereas few others had more than two.
Increased work meant having to take on assistants and clerical staff and the office space at 10 Peas Hill was too small. It was decided to take up additional office space on 2nd and 3rd floors of 17 Market Street. In 1984 the Litigation Department and the Leasehold Department moved in. By this time the demands of existing clients meant there was a need for a specialist solicitor and department dealing with company and commercial law. This in turn lead to an expansion of the business and working over two sites proved difficult. In 1986 it was decided to take the lease of 24 Hills Road (re christen it Francis House) and move all departments under one roof.
Mills & Reeve (a leading Norwich practice founded by Henry Jacob Mills in 1880) wanted to open a branch office in Cambridge, which they did in November 1986, at 6 Clifton Court Cherry Hinton Road. Immediately negotiations began for a merger and in 1987 this successfully went ahead to form Mills & Reeve Francis. The first female partner, Michelle Gail Cookson, was appointed in the same year.
Mounting volume of client business resulting from the merger led to increasing staffing and further pressure on office space and so in 1989 all departments were moved under one roof at Francis House, 112 Hills Road, Cambridge
1789 - 1813 Christopher Pemberton
1813 - 1820 Pemberton and Fiske
1820 - 1829 Pemberton Fiske and Hayward
1829 - 1838 Pemberton and Hayward
1838 - 1843 Christopher Pemberton
1843 - 1850 Pemberton and Thrower
1850 - 1861 Clement Francis
1861 - 1876 Francis Webster and Riches
1876 - 1879 Francis Riches and Francis
1879 - 1887 Francis and Francis
1887 - 1888 Francis Francis and Parker
1888 - 1898 Francis and Francis
1898 - 1905 Francis Francis and Collin
1905 - 1907 Francis Francis Collin and Peile
1907 - 1987 Francis & Co
1987 - Mills & Reeve Francis
The partners were Clement Francis and Thomas Musgrave Francis
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches.
In 1876 Thomas Webster retired from the practice (but continued the work of his London practice) and so Clement took his son Thomas Musgrave Francis into the business, trading as Francis Riches and Francis. In 1879 Alfred Riches died and Clement and his son continued their partnership until Clement died in 1880 (although the name Francis and Francis continued to be used until 1887).
The partners were Thomas Musgrave Francis and Walter Hamond Francis.
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. This firm continued in business over the years changing its name to reflect the partners involved. Clement Francis died in 1880 and Thomas Musgrave Francis needed assistance in running the business and so looked to his younger brother Walter Hamond Francis. Walter Hamond was completing his articles which he did in 1882. He then work as an assistant solicitor in the firm for five years before being taken into partnership in 1887.
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. This firm continued in business over the years changing its name to reflect the partners involved. Clement Francis died in 1880.
In 1898 Clement's two sons Thomas Musgrave and Walter Hamond took into partnership their former articled clerk and assistant John Collin to form Francis Francis and Collin.
In 1905 Frank Kitchener Peile joined the firm and the name changed to Francis Francis Collin and Peile. In 1907 it was decided to shorten the name to Francis & Co and it stayed this way until the firm merged with Mills & Reeve to form Mills & Reeve Francis in 1987.
Thomas Musgrave Francis died in 1931; Walter Hamond Francis died in 1940; John Collin retired in 1939 and died in 1944 (his son Hugh Collin became a partner in 1934); Frank Peile died in 1927
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. This firm continued in business over the years changing its name to reflect the partners involved. Clement Francis died in 1880 and Musgrave needed assistance in running the business and so looked to his younger brother Walter Hamond Francis and Edmund Henry Parker. Walter Hamond was completing his articles which he did in 1882. He then work as an assistant solicitor in the firm for five years before being taken into partnership. Edmund Parker was a qualified solicitor but wanted to join Kings College as had his brother before him and needed employment to support him during his undergraduate studies. He matriculated in 1882 and entered Kings College in 1883. In June 1885 he was equal first in the first class list of law tripos. On 1st January 1887 Walter Hamond and Edmund Parker both 29 years old were admitted into partnership as Francis Francis and Parker.
One of the firm's major client's was Mortlock's Bank. A dispute broke out between the partners of the bank leading to Mr Mortlock looking for a new partner. He asked Mr Francis but he suggested Edmund Parker who left the firm in 1888 and joined the bank. Also in that year he married Ellen Francis (Musgrave and Walter Hamond’s sister). Mortlock's Bank continued to be major clients and the firm changed its name to Francis and Francis [Mortlock's Bank was one of the constituent banks that is now Barclays plc]
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. This firm continued in business over the years changing its name to reflect the partners involved. Clement Francis died in 1880. In 1898 Clement's two sons Thomas Musgrave and Walter Hamond took into partnership their former articled clerk and assistant John Collin to form Francis Francis and Collin. In 1897 Frank Kitchener Peile (son of the Master of Christ’s College, Rev. Dr. John Peile) qualified as a solicitor and joined the firm as an assistant. He became a partner in 1905 and the name was changed to Francis Francis Collin and Peile. In 1907 it was decided to shorten the name to Francis & Co.
Thomas Musgrave Francis died in 1931, Walter Hamond Francis died in 1940, John Collin retired in 1939 and died in 1944 (his son Hugh Collin became a partner in 1934) and Frank Peile died in 1927.
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. In 1876 Thomas Webster retired from the practice (but continued the work of his London practice) and so Clement took his son Thomas Musgrave Francis into the business, trading as Francis Riches and Francis. In 1879 Alfred Riches died and Clement and his son continued their partnership until Clement died in 1880 (although the name Francis and Francis continued to be used until 1887).
This firm of solicitors can trace its origins back to 1789 when Christopher Pemberton set up a legal practice on his own in Cambridge. On his death in 1850 the work of his practice passed to Clement Francis (who had his own legal practice in Cambridge). He worked as a sole practitioner until 1861 when he took into partnership Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis Webster and Riches. In 1876 Thomas Webster retired from the practice (but continued the work of his London practice) and so Clement took his son Thomas Musgrave Francis into the business, trading as Francis Riches and Francis. In 1879 Alfred Riches died and Clement and his son continued their partnership until Clement died in 1880 (although the name Francis and Francis continued to be used until 1887).
Clement was born in 1816 and was the son of Thomas Clement Francis (1774-1837) and his wife Mary Elizabeth (nee Cann) of Wymondham (1792-1879). Thomas and Mary had been married at Wymondham on 20th September 1814. Clement had two sisters - Sarah Anne (1817-1860) and Ellen (1820-1856). Clement's grandfather had been a draper in Aylsham Norfolk and his father, Thomas Clement Francis, used to assist him in the shop before deciding to move to Newcastle-upon-Tyne where he established himself as a wine merchant. This is where Clement was born and spent his childhood before deciding on a career in the law.
Career:
In 1832 Clement Francis moved to Cambridge to join Francis Gunning (solicitor) in order to undertake his articles. He completed his sixth and final year of articles in London with Francis Thomas Bircham (a former articled clerk of Francis Gunning who had qualified as an attorney in 1833 and had started a practice on his own at 52 Lincoln's Inn Fields).
After he had qualified as an attorney Clement returned to Cambridge and in December 1838 he formed a partnership with his former principal Francis Gunning and they traded as Gunning and Francis. Clement saw the advantages of a university education and membership of the University of Cambridge and so on 7th December 1838 he was admitted as a fellow commoner at Trinity Hall, matriculating in Lent term 1839. He received his BA in 1843 and MA in 1846. In 1842 the practice of Gunning and Francis moved to an office at 18 Emmanuel Street where it remained until 1913 when it moved to Peas Hill. In 1846 Francis Gunning died and so the partnership was dissolved and from then until 1850 Clement worked as a sole practitioner. In 1850 he looked to go into partnership with another Cambridge law practice. A Memorandum of Agreement dated 6th July 1850 anticipated the establishment of a partnership between Christopher Pemberton, William Thrower and Clement Francis but another Agreement dated 18th July involved only Thrower and Francis (Christopher Pemberton had decided to retire). However, both Thrower and Pemberton died in 1850 leaving Clement Francis to take over the work of Pemberton and Thrower and continue on his own. In 1861 he went into partnership with Thomas Webster and Alfred Smith Riches and formed Francis, Webster and Riches. In 1876 Thomas Webster retired from the practice (but continued the work of his London practice) and so Clement took his son Thomas Musgrave Francis into the business, trading as Francis, Riches and Francis. In 1879 Alfred Riches died and Clement and his son continued their partnership until Clement died in 1880.
1838 - 1846 Gunning and Francis
1846 - 1861 Clement Francis
1861 - 1876 Francis, Webster and Riches
1876 - 1879 Francis, Riches and Francis
1879 - 1880 Francis and Francis
His obituary in the Cambridge Independent Press, described him as "one of the leading solicitors of this town".
He had acted as adviser to a majority of colleges; was solicitor to the University; clerk to the visitors of the Cambridgeshire and Isle of Ely Lunatic Asylum; clerk to the Income Tax Commissioners; clerk to the Conservators of the Cam; deputy-lieutenant for the county; a member of the Council of the Incorporated Law Society; and on many occasions acted as Under-Sheriff for the counties of Cambridge and Huntingdon.
Personal Life:
On 8th May 1848 Clement married Sarah nee Parmeter (1827-1897) at Aylsham. They had 13 children (6 surviving to adulthood):
Thomas Musgrave (1850-1931); Wolstan (1855-1943); Henry Clement (1857 - emigrated to Australia); Walter Hamond (1858-1940); Charles Decimus (1860 - emigrated to Australia) and Ellen (1864-19?). The family lived at 17 Emmanuel Street next to the office at No.18. On 11th October 1855 Clement Francis bought Quy Hall Estate from Mr and Mrs J. T. Martin but major refurbishment work meant that they didn’t start to move into the Hall before 1858. Then it was used as their summer house and Emmanuel Street as their winter one due to discomfort of the Hall and the state of the roads. Clement was a keen cyclist and often cycled to the office from Quy. It was here at Quy Hall that Clement died suddenly on 7th March 1880 after an acute attack of bronchitis.