Francis & Co

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

18 Emmanuel Street; 10 Peas Hill; 24 Hills Road; 17 Market Street; 112 Hills Road

Solicitor

"A Cambridge Bicentenary. The History of a Legal Practice 1789-1989" by Christopher Jackson