Mark Romer, Baron Romer

Mark Lemon Romer, Baron Romer, PC (9 August 1866 – 19 August 1944) was a British barrister and judge.

The Right Honourable The Lord Romer PC
Lord of Appeal in Ordinary
In office 1938–1944
Preceded by	The Lord Roche
Succeeded by	The Lord Simonds
Lord Justice of Appeal
In office 19 November 1929 – 5 January 1938
Preceded by	Sir Frank Russell
Succeeded by	Sir Albert Clauson
Justice of the High Court
In office 1922–1929
Preceded by	Sir Arthur Peterson
Personal details
Born	9 August 1866 Crawley, Sussex, England
Died	19 August 1944(1944-08-19) (aged 78)
Spouse	Anne Wilmot Ritchie
Parent	Sir Robert Romer (father)
Relatives	Mark Lemon (maternal grandfather) Charles Romer (son) Cecil Romer (brother) Charles Thomson Ritchie (father-in-law)
Education	Rugby School
Alma mater	Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Biography

Romer was born in Crawley, Sussex, the second son of Sir Robert Romer, later a Lord Justice of Appeal, and Betty, née Lemon, daughter of Mark Lemon, founding editor of Punch. He was educated at Rugby and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he read Mathematics, graduating as a junior optime. He was called to the bar by Lincoln's Inn in 1890. Practicing at the Chancery bar, he was made a King's Counsel in 1906 and attached himself to the court of Mr Justice Parker, then that of Mr Justice Sargant when Parker was elevated to the House of Lords.

Romer was appointed a judge of the Chancery Division of the High Court in 1922, in succession to Sir Arthur Frederick Peterson, and received the customary knighthood the same year. In 1929, he was made a Lord Justice of Appeal and sworn of the Privy Council. On 5 January 1938, he was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in succession to Lord Roche and was made a life peer with the title Baron Romer, of New Romney in the County of Kent.^[1] He resigned as Lord of Appeal in April 1944, and died four months later. His son, Sir Charles Romer, was appointed to the Chancery Division two months after his death, following in the steps of both his father and grandfather.

Both Lord Romer's father, Sir Robert Romer (1840-1918), and his son, Sir Charles Romer (1897-1969), were also judges, serving as Lords Justices of Appeal in 1899-1906 and 1951-1960 respectively. All three had served in the Chancery Division of the High Court.

He married Anne Wilmot Ritchie, daughter of Charles Thomson Ritchie.

List of cases

• Re Gardner (No.2) [1923] 2 Ch 230
• Re City Equitable Fire Insurance Co [1925] Ch 407
• France v James Coombes & Co [1928] 2 KB 81
• Cotter v National Union of Seamen [1929] 2 Ch 58
• Kirby v Wilkins [1929] Ch 444
• Re Thompson [1934] Ch 342
• Knightsbridge Estates Trust Ltd v Byrne [1940] AC 613
• Southern Foundries (1926) Ltd v Shirlaw [1940] AC 701
• Nokes v Doncaster Amalgamated Collieries Ltd [1940] AC 1014