Samuel Warren

Who was Samuel Warren?

Samuel Warren, was a Welsh barrister, novelist and MP.

He was born at Rackery Farm near Wrexham, Denbighshire, the son of Rev Dr Samuel Warren a Nonconformist minister and Anne Warren. After studying at the Kingswood School, Bath he entered Edinburgh University to study medicine but then took up law, and became a barrister, wrote several legal text-books, and in 1852 was made Recorder of Hull.

Warren sat in the House of Commons for Midhurst 1856–1859, and was a Master in Lunacy 1859-77. He was the author of Passages from the Diary of a late Physician, which appeared first in Blackwood's Magazine, as did also Ten Thousand a-Year. Both attracted considerable attention, and were often reprinted and translated.

His last novel, Now and Then, was a social novel of criminality and the law, arguing from a Methodist perspective the moral case for reform. It is realistically observed, based in outline on an actual case in Wolverhampton, but had little success. Warren entertained exaggerated ideas as to the importance of his place in literature.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in April 1835. He died in London.