William Rann Kennedy

Sir William Rann Kennedy, (11 March 1846 – 17 January 1915) was a British jurist and Lord Justice of Appeal and accomplished classical scholar.

He was born into a family of distinguished classicists: three of his uncles had been senior classics at Cambridge; Benjamin Hall Kennedy, the former headmaster of Shrewsbury School and Professor of Greek at Cambridge, who headed the Tripos in 1827; Charles Rann Kennedy, a barrister and noted translator of Demosthenes, in 1831; and George John Kennedy, in 1832. All three were also Porson medallists at Cambridge (Kennedy's father was also claimed to be a Porson medallist, but his name is not listed).

Kennedy was sent to study at Eton College rather than the traditional family school of Shrewsbury, largely as his uncle was headmaster there. He won a foundation scholarship at King's College, Cambridge. After winning the Craven and Bell scholarships and the Powis Medal, he came top in classics in 1868 - the fourth member of his family to do.

In 1907 he was elevated to the Court of Appeal and sworn of the Privy Council. He would hold these offices until his death in 1915. He was buried on the western side of Highgate Cemetery.

Notable decisions which Kennedy was involved in included the first instance decision in Allen v Flood AC 1, and the Court of Appeal decision in British South Africa Company v De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd 2 Ch 502.

In 1909, Kennedy was elected a fellow of the British Academy.

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