- law , ▁Town ▁C ler k ▁of ▁London ▁and ▁author . ▁ ▁Life ▁He ▁was ▁el dest ▁son ▁of ▁Henry ▁M ere w ether ▁of ▁Cal ne , ▁W ilt shire ; ▁his ▁brother ▁Francis ▁( 1 7 8 4 – 1 8 6 4 ) ▁was ▁re ctor ▁of ▁Cole orton . ▁He ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Reading ▁School ▁under ▁Richard ▁Val py , ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁ 5 ▁May ▁ 1 8 0 9 , ▁was ▁created ▁ser je ant - at - law ▁ 2 5 ▁June ▁ 1 8 2 7 , ▁and ▁became ▁king ' s ▁coun sel ▁with ▁pat ent ▁of ▁preced ence ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 . ▁ ▁M ere w ether ▁pract ised ▁on ▁the ▁western ▁circuit ▁with ▁success . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁rec order ▁of ▁Reading ▁and ▁was ▁att orney - general ▁to ▁Ad ela ide , ▁Queen - d ow ager . ▁He ▁received ▁the ▁degree ▁of ▁D . C . L . ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oxford ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁June ▁ 1 8 3 9 . ▁ ▁Elect ed ▁town - cl erk ▁of ▁London ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 2 , ▁over ▁William ▁P rit ch ard , ▁M ere w ether ▁then ▁became ▁high ▁b ail iff ▁of ▁South w ark . ▁By ▁accepting ▁this ▁appointment ▁he ▁lost ▁a ▁good ▁income ▁at ▁the ▁bar . ▁He ▁res igned ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁town - cl erk ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁February