Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sandars, Thomas Collett
SANDARS, THOMAS COLLETT (1825–1894), editor of ‘Justinian,’ eldest son of Samuel Sandars of Lochnere, near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was born in 1825. He matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, on 30 Nov. 1843, was a scholar from 1843 to 1849, graduated B.A. in 1848 (having taken first-class honours in literis humanioribus and the chancellor's Latin-verse prize), became fellow of Oriel in 1849, and proceeded M.A. in 1851. He was called to the bar in 1851, and was reader of constitutional law and history to the inns of court from 1865 to 1873. He was one of the earliest contributors to the ‘Saturday Review,’ and an intimate friend of James (afterwards Sir James) FitzJames Stephen [q. v.] He interested himself in commercial affairs in later years, and went twice to Egypt in 1877 and 1880 to represent the Association of Foreign Bondholders. He was also chairman of the Mexican Railway Company. He died on 2 Aug. 1894 at Queen Anne's Mansions; he had married, on 25 May 1851, Margaret, second daughter of William Hanmer of Bodnod Hall, Denbighshire, and left a family.
Sandars is remembered chiefly by his useful edition of Justinian's ‘Institutes,’ which first appeared in 1853; it reached an eighth edition in 1888.
[Foster's Alumni Oxon. 1715–1886; Oxford Honours Register; Times, 9 Aug. 1894; Leslie Stephen's Life of Sir James FitzJames Stephen, pp. 152, 178, 197; Foster's Men at the Bar.]