Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 15 December 1856 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 item, paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
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.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Receipt from the Masters and Fellows of Jesus College to Clement Francis, for various work as an attorney between 8th December 1855 and 5th December 1856. Items billed Re Hurrell include: attending Mr Hurrell with reference to 1 acre and 2 roods more or less of land now claimed to he in the parish of Little Shelford and called the Holt [?] in his occupation which for many years pasted had not paid rates or land tax to any parish and was deemed extraparochial and conferring theron; attending Mr Hurrell again this day when he informed me he had been summoned for a poor rate in respect of this land and afterwards attending with him at the office of the clerk of the peace and searching the Little Shelford award and plan to ascertain what parish the land was in when it appeared to be in that parish; paid search. Items billed for Dean & Chapter of Ely (Power of Attorney) include: The Dean and Chapter of Ely having requested that you should bespeak power for the receipt of dividends by them through a letter addressed to me by Mr H R Evans their clerk; writing them in reply and stating in my opinion instructing your liability ended with the payment of the purchase money into the names of the 3 Regii Professores and delivery to the Dean and Chapter of the stock ticket but that as a matter of courtesy and on the understanding that you incurred no further liability I would not object in the present instance to bespeak and procure the execution of the power by you; attending at Messrs Mortlocks Bank bespeaking power; attending Dr Abdy [?] attesting his execution thereto; writing Mr Evans with form of order on Messrs Mortlock as to the application of dividends for him to fill up previous to obtaining the signature of the 3 Regii Professores thereto; attending Dr Bond for and attesting his execution to power of attorney; writing Revd Dr Jeremie with power for his execution. Items billed Yourselves v. Wyer include: attending John Halsey/asking memorandum of his evidence upon this matter; attending at town hall to make complaint before magistrates and obtain warrant engaged 2 hours; attending town hall when magistrates convicted the defendant in the amount of damages or be imprisoned for 14 days when his brother paid same, the magistrates observing that they very much regretted that they were prevented from sending the defendant to gaol. Items billed for Union Tavern include: attending Mr Rowe surveyor when he brought me plan of the Union Tavern premises on the quayside and stated that the Master desired that a fence might be erected to enclose the corner of the premises now open in the manner pointed out on the plan and begged me to give instructions to Mr Bradwell to have the work done immediately; attending Mr Bradwell accordingly giving him the requisite instructions. Total amount: £4 9s 0d, paid by cash in College account. Signed by Clement Francis.