Queer Places:
University of Cambridge, 4 Mill Ln, Cambridge CB2 1RZ
Edward Romilly (April 19, 1804 – October 12, 1870) was born on April 19, 1804, in London, the third son of the prominent statesman and Solicitor-General Sir Samuel Romilly and Anne Garbett, daughter of Francis Garbett of Knill Court. His lineage placed him within a well-connected family, and he was the brother of John, William, and Henry Romilly. He received his early education at King Edward VI School in Bury St Edmunds before entering Christ's College, Cambridge, on May 28, 1822. During his time at Cambridge, he became actively involved in student life and intellectual societies, earning recognition as a member of the elite intellectual discussion group known as the Cambridge Apostles. He also took an active role in the Cambridge Union Society, serving as its Secretary in 1825 and its Treasurer in 1826. In January 1826, he migrated to Trinity Hall, where he continued his academic success, achieving a first class in Civil Law classes for 1826 to 1827 and ultimately graduating with an LL.B. in 1828. Alongside his academic pursuits, he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn on January 22, 1827.
Romilly was also a notable amateur sportsman during his university years and early adulthood. He was associated with the Cambridge University Cricket Club and the Marylebone Cricket Club, earning a cricket blue in 1827. Over his playing career from 1825 to 1831, he made nine known appearances in first-class and important cricket matches, which included a prestigious appearance for the Gentlemen against the Players in 1827.
Transitioning into public service and politics, Romilly stood as a Whig candidate and was successfully elected at the 1832 general election as one of the two Members of Parliament for Ludlow in Shropshire. He served in Parliament until 1835, when he was defeated at the subsequent general election. Following his parliamentary career, he dedicated decades to civil administration. He served as a member of the Board of Audit from 1837 to 1866, eventually rising to become its Chairman from 1855 to 1865. Later in life, his civic contributions were further recognized when he served as the High Sheriff of Glamorgan in 1869.
In his personal life, Romilly married Sophia Marcet, daughter of the physician and chemist Alexander John Gaspard Marcet, on May 7, 1830. Outside of his official duties, he maintained literary interests, notably editing the Reminiscences of Count Cavour. He resided at Porthkerry, near Cowbridge in Glamorgan, Wales. Edward Romilly passed away on October 12, 1870, at Porthkerry, dying without issue.
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