[taken from Chapter 4 Manx Worthies, A.W.Moore, 1901]

ALURED DUMBELL, Knight (b. 1835, d. 1900),

second son of G. W. Dumbell (banker, member of the Bar and of the House of Keys), and Miss Gibson, was educated at a private school in Douglas. He then entered the firm of Harris and Adams as a law student, afterwards serving a short period of his articles with Mr James Spittall. Admitted to the Bar in 1858, he soon acquired a large and important practice at the north of the island. His appointments were—High-Bailiff of Ramsey in 1873, second deemster in 1880, and clerk of the rolls in 1883. he was knighted in 1899, and, a short time before his death, he acted as deputy-governor. " There is no doubt," says " The Isle of Man Times," ' That Sir Alured Dumbell was a man of great ability, but the success which he achieved in the legal profession was not so much due to the possession of any very exceptional degree of forensic acumen, but to his ready wit his practical business-like instincts, and his uncommon powers of penetration, combined with an integrity of purpose that was never absent from anything in his public career. In the Legislature, though his work was largely confined to criticism of others, he was, nevertheless, not only an influential but a very useful member, and, on its committees, in particular he did good service. Apart from his legal and legislative work his chief interest was in agriculture, of which he had considerable knowledge. He was a prominent member of the insular Agricultural Society, and some years ago, took the leading part in settling a dispute which arose between its northern and southern members. He is certainly one of the ablest men this island has produced during the present century.


Sir Alured Dumbell
Sir Alured Dumbell


 

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