The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-10 00:00:00

THE LATE JOSHUA LACE, ESQ.

We briefly noticed, on the 19th ultimo, the death, in the 80th
year of his age, of Joshua Lace, Esq., which took place at
his house, in Little Wootton, on the:morning of the previous
day ; and we have now a melancholy satisfaction, in remem-

n•
brace of the many excellencies of lila character, as a father,
a friend, and a Christian, in submitting the following short
sketch of his long and useful life :
Mr. Lace was burn at Liverpool in August, 1762, (the
month in which the late King George the Fourth was also

born,) and was the father of the legal profession of his native
town. He received his early education at ltainford, near
Prescot, under the able tuition of Mr. Holden and Mr. Fos-

The latter gentleman, who was the Latin master, having

afterwards commenced an establishment at Little Woolton-

the subject of this notice was again placed under his care;

and the pleasing recollections of his juvenile enjoyments and
pursuits in that delightful locality induced him to select it
as the scene of his final residence,—his house, which he de-
nominated " The Throstle's Nest," being about a quarter of
a mile from the seminary where he completed hi■ scholastic
studies. _ _ _

. At the age of about sixteen, he was indentured to Mr. H ut-
ton, solicitor, and principal assistant (or deputy) of Mr.
Gildart, the then highly respected town-clerk. He served
his term of seven years with much credit to himself, and from
his diligence and acuteness became a great favourite with
Mr. Gildart in particular, who was wont to refer to him as a
youth who would become an ornament to his profession.
Even at that early age, such was the confidence reposed in
him that he frequently acted as a partner, and also occa-
sionally as deputy coroner. At the close of his apprenticeship
he contemplated commencing practice on his own account, and
for that purpose took a suite of apartments in Sweating-street;
but his intention becoming known to the late Mr. Aspinall,
and Mr. Roscoe, (afterwards so celebrated in the literary
world,) who were then in partnership as solicitors, proposals
were made to him to join them in the concern, which he
accepted,—the firm being then "Aspinall, Roscoe, & Lace."
In a few years, during which they were highly successful,
Mr. Aspinall retired, leaving Mr. Roscoe and himself the sole
partners. In the life of Roscoe it will be found that that
distinguished scholar makes mention of him in a letter to his
friend, Mr. Bewdy, of London, in terms of high commenda-
tion, stating that " he had made a most advantageous con-
nexion w►th Mr. Joshua Lace, which would leave him more
leisure to devote to his favourite pursuits—literature and
gardening." It may be remarked, that at this time Mr.
Roscoe resided in a house in Lord-street, which, at the
period alluded to, had a fine garden behind it, in which
bloomed many fine plants and flowers. Mr. Roscoe after-
wards resided in a house at the bottom of Harrington-street,
previously inhabited by the celebrated " merchant James,"
which (as well as two others) was gutted in 1774-5, during
the riots of the sailors on the threatened reduction of their
wages to 255. per month.*
It may here be stated, that the late Mr. Munden, so
highly distinguished in after life as a comedian, was, when a
young man, contemporary, as a clerk at Mr. Gildart's office,
with Mr. Lace, and'that in his convivial moments the latter
frequently related instances of dramatic drollery in the
embryo aspirant for histrionic fame, in which he occasionally
indulged in relaxing from the rigid discipline of the desk—

to the infinite amusement of his graver associates.
In furtherance of the new pursuits which ha had chalked
out for himself, Mr. Roscoe left the concern soon after Mr.
_ _

Aepinall, and it was carried on by Mr. Lace himself, whose
legal acumen, punctuality, and strict attention to the inter-
ests of those who employed him, earned him "golden opini-
ons of all sorts of men." He afterwards took as a partner
Mr. 'Wm. Hassal, at the time secretary to Sir Benjamin
Hammet, the celebrated banker, from London, who had here
formed a banking establishment. The partnership was ter-
minated in five years—the term of the original agreement—
by Mr. Lace himself, on whom, from his active habits and
early attendance at the office, had devolved the almost sole
management of the concern. He was afterwards joined by
Mr. Miller, and throughout a long professional life (of up-
wards of half a century, in all) he took others into partner-
ship, including, latterly, his two sons,—the firm being suc-
cessively, as circumstances dictated the prudence of a change,
" Lace, Miller, and Lace," " Lace and Sons," " Lace, Sons,
and Myers," " Laces, Clay, and Myers," and finally, as at
present, " Laces, Myers, and Rigge."
As a lawyer, Mr. Lace ranked amongst the foremost in
his profession. Sensible, discriminative, and clear-headed,
be shrunk not from undertaking the most intricate . and
subtile cases, provided always they were of an honourable
character; for, actuated by the strictest integrity, he repudi-
ated all, the proceedings in which might bear the remotest
affinity to meanness or the employment of chicanery. To
employ the language of a contemporary the Mercury,
which pays a generous tribute to his memory, in him " the
strictest integrity was combined with the most polished
suavity :"- and when he considered a case untenable, no con-
sideration of certain individual emolument restrained him
from a candid avowal of his opinion, and his advice of aban-
nonment. Upright in all, his sole aim was to obtain
"justice," in the common sense, not merely in the "legal,"
and oft-perverted acceptation of the word. Thus guided,
when he undertook a case, he became interested in it as
warmly as if it were his own, and carried it out with a
promptitude, decision, and ability that seldom failed to com-
mand success. By his undeviating adherence to the princi-
ples of titrict probity and integrity—to him a natural and
indomitable impulse, not a compulsory restraint—he con-
tributed, as much as any man living, to shed the lustre of
respectability upon a profession unhappily too often rendered
unpopular by the pursuance of a system discreditable to the
practitioner, and not unfrequently ruinous to the client.
Byer desirous to give all who were under him the full
advantage of his own legal knowledge, and proud to witness
their advancement in life, he had the enviable satisfac-
tion of having trained and educated in his office many

of the most eminent men who now adorn the profession.
Amongst these we may enumerate our present talented town-
clerk, Mr. Radcliffe, whom he was wont familiarly to call
" Dick," and who, he prognosticated, would turn out an ac-
tive and discriminating man of business ; also Mr. Crook,
late deputy town-clerk, Mr. Thomas Harvey, Mr. Carson,
Mr. Miller, and Mr. Peel, (now Miller and Peel,) Mr. John
North, Mr. Latham Hanmer, jun., and.many others. It is
but justice to add, that he carried into public life that gene-
rosity of disposition that characterised him in private, and
that he has often been known to devote his time and his ta-
lents to the interests of indigent but deserving clients as assi-
duously as to those of the wealthy, and without any charge
but for the stamps to the requisite documents.
At about the age of twenty-six, Mr. Lace married Marga-
ret, daughter of Mr. Griffiths, a timber merchant of Chester.
By this—his only marriage—he had four sons, and five
daughters, of whom two of the former, (now in the firm,)
and three of the latter survive him,

In private life Mr. Lace was all that could be desired as a
patent, a friend, and a companion. Some years ago he gave
up his town house in Camden-street to reside at Little Wool-
ton, where he had purchased an estate, the house on which
he had previously enlarged, and occupied as a summer resi-
dence. Having latterly retired from the turmoils of business
in the town, though he still pursued his professional duties
at home, he there enjoyed himself in the bosom of his family.
He had in earlier life imbibed a taste for agriculture and
gardening (which was fostered to a considerable extent by
his surviving brother, the veteran Captain Lace, now of
Holt-hill) ; he devoted his leisure hours to those pursuits. and
to reading, with a degree of ardour approaching to enthusi-
asm ; and his taste and perseverance as a horticulturist are
sufficiently evinced by the vastly improved and fine condi-
tion of his garden and grounds. Ills active habits were as
conspicuous in the family circle, in the autumn of life, as in
his office when he was in the zenith of manhood ; and he was
never seen to be idle, but constantly engaged in improve-
ments out of doors, in business, or in study. When profes-
sionally busy his manner was grave, approaching to austerity ;
but, fond of enlightened society, he relaxed into cheerfulness
amidst the numerous friends whom he drew around him,
and, with a fund of anecdote and " experiences," contri-
buted much to the social and blameless pleasures of the fire-
side. He was never known to raise the rent of one of his
tenant& ; and his charity and good offices to the unfortunate
were extensive, but so unobtrusive as to be scarcely known
save to the grateful objects of his benevolence. We may
adduce one instance of this amiable trait in his character.
An aged female who had lost her husband, was from five to
■ix years in one of his houses without being required to pay a
farthing of rent. It may, indeed, be said of him, that he
was one of those who " did good by stealth, and blushed to
find it fame."
The friend and associate of Roscoe, and also of his neigh-
bour the Rev. and learned Dr. Sheppard, (himself, however,
a Protestant,) he advocated the principles of civil and religious
liberty, though be abhorred all reckless inroads upon the con-
stitution. He was also a patron of science, literature, and
the fine arts ; and amongst his collection of paintings is the
celebrated original picture by Pilsen, of the division of the
territory of Wales, formerly in the possession of his relation
and partner, the late Mr. William Roscoe.
The affectionate attentions of his family " gilded the even-
ing of his life's decay," and he bore his last illness (an effu-
sion of water in the head, superadded to the growing infir-
mities of age) with a meekness and resignation becoming the
closing days of the honest man and the good Christian. The
affection of the head probably owed its origin to the latent
effects of an injury received about 40 years ago, and which had
nearly terminated fatally. On returning home from a journey
to London, while the impress service was at its height, a num-
ber of persons, conceiving that the stage-coach in which he
was seated, with others, was filled with sailors, cut the reins
of the horses, as the vehicle was passing down London-read,
and the horses set off at full speed down Shaw's-brow. Being
alarmed for his safety, he opened the door, jumped out, and
fell violently on the back of his head. He was so.much hurt
that his life was for some days despaired of, but being of a
naturally strong constitution he apparently recovered his
accustomed health.
In compliance with his own wish, frequently expressed,
but more particularyn few days before his death, that his
funeral should be unmarked by any ostentatious display, he
was followed to the family vault, Trinity Church, merely
by his relatives and a few private friends, a list of whom
he had prepared,—to the regret of numerous acquaintances,
who, had it been otherwise, would have availed themselves
of the occasion to pay the last sad tribute of respect to
his memory as a man of sterling worth and unblemished
reputation.

* On this occasion, a large body of the rioters proceeded to the
Louse of Mr. Lace's father, in St. Paul's-square, and knocking
at the door, demanded to see" Merchant Lace ". Mrs. Lace being
alarmed lest they should proceed to violence, opened the window
only, and a parley ensued, durin which she informed them (as was
the fact) that Mr. Lace was in Manchester, but was expected home
on the following day. She also, to conciliate their forbearance,
threw out amongst them the money she had in her pocket, to drink
his health, and they—aware that he was averse to the proposed re-
daction of their wages, made the square resound with their hearty
cheers for his long life and prosperity, and, with good humour, took
their departure.

PREPARATIONS FOR THE APPROACHING PARLIAMEN-
TARY CAMPAIGN.—A Stafford paper has the following :
" Lord Melbourne.—During the past week his:lordship has
taken equestrian exercise daily, accompanied by his steward,
Mr. Fox." In addition we can state that HILLI-ONNEE
PALMERSTON took a gallop last week, in the neighbourhood
of Bridgenorth, and, for so old a hack, looks and goes very
well.

ARREST OF A RESPECTABLE ROMAN CATHOLIC AT THE
St/IT OF A PRIEST.—A circumstance has just come to our
knowledge which is strongly corroborative of the fact, that
few men in this world are worse treated than the Roman
Catholics who voted for the miscalled liberal party. It ap-
pears that a respectable Roman Catholic who resides in this
county, and who was considerably embarrassed, voted for the
" liberal party" some years back, and for which he was per-
mitted to borrow a sum of money, on his bond, from a priest !
which money, it is alleged, was a portion of the sum paid by
Mr. Raphael for the privilege of representing the county.
This gentleman owed money to several Protestants, who gave
him a security that he would not be sued for six months, in
order to afford him every facility for arranging his affairs.
Armed with these securities the gentleman proceeded to
Dublin, confident of the friendship of the priest ; hut, lo !
the good and pious man, in the interim, took proceedings,
the gentleman was arrested at his suit, and he is now an in-
mate of the Sheriff's Prison, in Dublin Such is the mer-
ciful, the tender, and the compassionate manner in which the
liberal priest treated his friend, who was induced to vote
against his own conviction, and iu direct opposition to his
interests, calculating on the pledges and the sacred promises
of the priests and the Liberal Club !—Carlow Sentinel.