The Denman Family

Dr Thomas Denman, M.D. (1733–1815) and his descendants A London physician, his son the Lord Chief Justice whose ruling led to the Parliamentary Papers Act 1840, and the Barons Denman of Dovedale. The answer below is reproduced as it was given, with the family's portraits set beside the people it names.

Engraved portrait of Thomas Denman, M.D., with the inscription THOMAS DENMAN, M.D.
Dr Thomas Denman, M.D. (1733–1815) The Patriarch — physician and pioneer in midwifery, and father of the 1st Baron. Engraved portrait, inscribed “THOMAS DENMAN, M.D.”

The Answer Reproduced as it was given, with the family’s portraits set beside the people it names

The primary historical figure tying your clues together is Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman. As the Lord Chief Justice of England, his landmark ruling in Stockdale v. Hansard directly triggered Parliament to pass the Parliamentary Papers Act 1840. His grandson, George Lewis Denman, later co-authored Constitutional Law Viewed in Relation to Common Law with Herbert Broom (the famous author of Broom’s Legal Maxims).

The Patriarch (Grandfather)

Dr. Thomas Denman (1733–1815): A famous London physician and pioneer in midwifery. He is the father of the 1st Baron. London … +1

The 1st Baron Denman & His Sons

Sir Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman (1779–1854): The prominent judge who brought about the 1840 Act. He and his wife, Theodosia, had 11 children, including five sons: Kids encycl… +2

Four likenesses of the 1st Baron survive in the family collection. The pair below is read as an earlier portrait beside the Shee likeness of his later years; the two softer images that follow are smaller ones of the same man.

Oil portrait of a man standing in red robes with white fur trim, wearing a gold chain of office and a white wig
Probably the 1st Baron, towards the start of his appointment — standing in the red robes, white fur trim, gold chain of office and white wig of the Lord Chief Justice.
Oil portrait of Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman, in the red robes and gold chain of the Lord Chief Justice
The 1st Baron later in his career, by Sir Martin Archer Shee — Lord Chief Justice of England.
Monochrome portrait of an elderly grey-haired man seated in a high-backed chair
Very probably the 1st Baron after going grey — seated in a high-backed chair, in formal nineteenth-century dress.
Oil portrait of a seated man in a dark coat and white cravat holding a rolled document with a red seal
The 1st Baron again — a more astute portrait impression, holding a rolled document with a red seal and ribbon.
  • Thomas Aitchison-Denman, 2nd Baron Denman (1805–1894): The eldest son who inherited the peerage title.
  • Captain Joseph Denman (1810–1874): A prominent Royal Navy officer who fought heavily against the slave trade.
  • Hon. Richard Denman (1814–1887): A barrister whose descendants carried on the family’s main lineage.
  • Rt. Hon. George Denman (1819–1896): A successful Member of Parliament and High Court Judge.
    Sepia cabinet photograph of an older man with white hair and side-whiskers, in an ornate oval mount
    The same sitter as the caricature beside him, without doubt — the Hon. George Denman in later life. Sepia albumen cabinet print, in an ornate embossed oval mount.
    Vanity Fair caricature of the Hon. George Denman seated at the judicial bench
    The Hon. George Denman, “He was an ornament on the Bench” — Vanity Fair, 19 November 1892.
  • Hon. Lewis William Denman (1821–1907): The youngest son, who became a Church of England rector. Wikipedia +5

Notable Grandsons and Later Descendants

  • George Lewis Denman (1854–1929): The son of Judge George Denman. He is the co-author who worked with Herbert Broom on his later constitutional law publications.
  • Thomas Denman, 3rd Baron Denman (1874–1954): Grandson of the Hon. Richard Denman. He served as the fifth Governor-General of Australia.
  • Sir Richard Douglas Denman (1876–1957): Younger brother of the 3rd Baron. He was a British politician created a Baronet in 1945.
  • Thomas Denman, 4th Baron Denman (1905–1971): Eldest son of the 3rd Baron.
  • Sir Charles Spencer Denman, 5th Baron Denman (1916–2012): First cousin to the 4th Baron, who inherited the title in 1971. Wikipedia +2

If you are researching a specific branch or want more details on the family tree, let me know if you would like:

  • A deep dive into Lord Denman’s ruling that led to the 1840 Act.
  • The specific legal textbooks written by Herbert Broom and George Lewis Denman.
  • Information on the current holder of the Baron Denman title.
Baron Denman Baron Denman, of Dovedale in…
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Memorial Gallery The family collection’s finest portrait, given the full width of the page — click it to open the original

Oil portrait, chest and shoulders, of a man in a dark double-breasted coat with brass buttons and a high white cravat, against red drapery
The Memorial Gallery Portrait Oil portrait, chest and shoulders: a dark double-breasted coat with brass buttons, a high white cravat and a pale waistcoat, against red drapery. The masterpiece of the family’s collection — the sitter is not yet named.