Item 157 - Jesus College Elmstead Tithe Account

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.