Name James Rentoul | Died 1919 | |
James Alexander Rentoul (1854 - 12 August 1919) was a British judge and politician.
James Alexander Rentoul was born in Manorcunningham, County Donegal, the eldest son of Reverend Alexander Rentoul. He was educated at Queen's College Galway, Queen's College, Belfast, and the Universities of Berlin and Brussels. He was a Presbyterian minister for a number of years before being called to the bar in 1884.
He was a member of London County Council before being elected Conservative Member of Parliament for East Down at a by-election in 1890. He remained as member for the constituency until resigning in 1902, after he was in November 1901 appointed a Judge of the City of London Court and the Central Criminal Court.
According to The Times, Judge Rentoul was 'patient and kind in the performance of his duties, but it would be useless to pretend that he was a success on the Bench'. On a number of occasions his decisions were severely criticised by the Court of Criminal Appeal, one being described as 'unusual and extraordinary'. He resigned shortly before his death.
He was described as a 'kindly and loving man' and a brilliant after-dinner speaker. In Who's Who, he listed his only recreation as 'Reading Who’s Who'.
He died in London in 1919. His son, Gervais Rentoul, became Member of Parliament for Lowestoft.