Sir Edward East, 1st Baronet

Who was Sir Edward East, 1st Baronet?

Sir Edward Hyde East, 1st Baronet was a British member of parliament, legal writer, and judge in India. He served as chief justice of Calcutta from 1813 to 1822.

Edward East was the great-grandson of Captain John East, who was active in the conquest of Jamaica, and obtained an estate there. He was born in that island on 9 September 1764. He became a student of the Inner Temple, London, and was called to the bar on 10 November 1786. He sat in the parliament of 1792 for Great Bedwin, and steadily supported William Pitt. In 1813 he was chosen to succeed Sir Henry Russell as chief justice of the supreme court at Fort William, Bengal. Before he left England he was knighted by the Prince Regent. Besides performing his judicial duties, he interested himself in the cause of native education, and was the chief promoter of the Hindu College. When he retired from office in 1822 the Indians presented him with an address and subscribed for a statue of him. This, executed by Francis Chantrey, was afterwards placed in the grand-jury room of the supreme court. On his return, East was made a baronet, on 25 April 1823.