Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Barnewall, Richard Vaughan
BARNEWALL, RICHARD VAUGHAN (1780–1842), barrister-at-law, fourth son of Robert Barnewall, of London, merchant, by Sophia, daughter of Captain Silvester Barnewall (uncle of Robert Barnewall), began his education at Stonyhurst College, continued it under Dr. Collins, and completed it at the university of Edinburgh, was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1806, having previously read in the chambers of Blick, an eminent special pleader, and for some years practised at the Surrey sessions and on the home circuit. In 1817 he turned his attention to reporting in the court of King's Bench, and was thenceforth mainly occupied with that important and laborious branch of legal business until his retirement from professional labour in 1834. In this work he was successively associated with (1) Alderson, afterwards baron of the exchequer, between 1817 and 1822, (2) Cresswell, afterwards justice of the common pleas, between 1822 and 1830, (3) Adolphus, between 1830 and 1834. In the latter year, having succeeded to some property on the death of his relative, the Baroness de Montesquieu, he retired from active life, when bar and bench concurred in testifying their high sense of his character and abilities—the former presenting him with a silver vase, the latter with a testimonial. The reports—which comprise the whole of the period during which Lord Tenterden presided in the court of King's Bench, as well as the last year of Lord Ellenborough's, and the first two of Lord Denman's presidency there—are of great value, by reason both of the importance of the decisions recorded therein, and of the accuracy with which they are recorded. Barnewall died at his chambers in the Temple 29 Jan. 1842, and was buried in Paddington churchyard. He was never married. His father, Robert Barnewall, is said by Sir Bernard Burke to have been lineally descended from Sir Nicholas Barnewall, created in 1461 chief justice of the common pleas in Ireland. The baronies of Trimleston and Kingsland were held by different members of this family.
[Annual Register, 1842, p. 247; Gent. Mag. N.S. xvii. 331; Ann. Biog. (C. R. Dodd), pp. 34–7; Burke's Peerage; Burke's Extinct Peerage; Lodge's Peerage of Ireland (Kingsland title).]