Davis, Foster and Finlay , solicitors

John Romilly, first Baron Romilly (1802-1874), judge and politician, was born in London on 10 January 1802. On 28 March 1851, following the death of Lord Langdale, he was appointed master of the rolls, and was sworn of the privy council the following month. In addition to his judicial role, the master of the rolls had important statutory duties in the care of the public records. Romilly continued Langdale's work conscientiously, his most notable contributions being to secure the enlargement of the Public Record Office in Chancery Lane, the absorption of the State Paper Office, permitting access to the records without payment for scholars, and promoting the rolls series and other publications.

Source: A. Hamilton, 'Romilly, John, first Baron Romilly (1802-1874)', rev. Patrick Polden, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.