John Strange

Sir John Strange (1696 – 18 May 1754) was a British politician and judge.

John Strange's life

He was born to another John Strange of Fleet Street, London and his second wife, Mary Plaistowe. He studied Law at the Middle Temple on 11 July 1712 before starting a pupillage at the chambers of Charles Salkeld, who trained (among others) Lord Hardwicke. He was called to the Bar on 27 October 1718.

In 1735 he bought the lease of Leyton Grange House in Leyton, then in Essex. In 1725 he represented Lord Macclesfield at his impeachment, He resigned as Member of Parliament for West Looe in 1741, but was reelected for Totnes in a by-election in 1742.

In December 1742 he resigned as Recorder of London and Solicitor General, claiming ill-health, and also limited his practice as a barrister to the Court of King's Bench. The inscriptions were published in 1796 and again in 1892, debunking persistent claims that Sir John's grave was marked by a ridiculous epitaph in the Rolls Chapel:

Here lies an honest lawyer, and that is Strange.

Family

On 14 May 1722 he married Susannah Strong, eldest daughter of Edward Strong the Younger sculptor and mason of St Paul's Cathedral. They had two sons and nine daughters. This included John Strange.