Duty and Dependency: The Life and Career of Edward James Jarvis, 1788-1852

Edward Jarvis was a colonial judge during the late Georgian and early Victorian periods whose career encompassed more than one jurisdiction within the British Empire. Following several years of study at the Inns of Court in London, he secured positions as a judge in the colonies of New Brunswick and Malta before being appointed Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island in 1828, a position he held until his death in 1852. Throughout Jarvis’s life duty and dependency were constant themes. He was one of a group of second-generation Loyalists who began their careers in the colony of New Brunswick, and brought many of his generation’s beliefs regarding law and empire to his judicial roles, whether confronting piracy in Malta in the early 1820s or land protests in Prince Edward Island during the 1830s. In his rulings he sought to administer colonial law in a fair and impartial manner, thereby consolidating the property regime in the latter colony. His role as Chief Justice, however, meant that he was dependent upon the British Government for his livelihood, a situation that ultimately became untenable when the granting of responsible government led to a substantial cut in his salary in his final years. Both duty and dependency were part of Jarvis’s personal as well as professional life: as household patriarch he supported his family and other dependents, who in turn gave him emotional support, loyalty, and deference. The private world of family enabled him to function in the “public” sphere, but also brought bereavement and practical challenges. This study suggests that, while Jarvis did carry out his professional function of upholding British law, particularly property law in the face of a popular protest movement, it came at a cost, both financial and personal, not evident in the public record.

Author dc:creator

• Jarvis, Anna Karin

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Girard, Philip

• Canadian history
• Law
• Gender studies

Statement dc:rights

• Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10315/42436

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:yorkspace.library.yorku.ca:10315/42436