▁born ▁at ▁W ake field , ▁York shire , ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 2 0 , ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁sc ant y ▁education ▁at ▁the ▁Lanc aster ian ▁school ▁there . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁he ▁started ▁his ▁working ▁life ▁as ▁office - boy ▁to ▁John ▁Ber ry , ▁a ▁local ▁solic itor . ▁He ▁was ▁later ▁cl erk ▁in ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Mess rs . ▁Mars den ▁& ▁I anson , ▁solic itors ▁and ▁cler ks ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁R iding ▁just ices , ▁and ▁upon ▁the ▁dissol ution ▁of ▁the ▁firm ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 4 ▁he ▁remained ▁with ▁Mr . ▁I anson , ▁to ▁whom ▁he ▁subsequently ▁art ic led ▁himself . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁usual ▁interval ▁B anks ▁was ▁admitted ▁as ▁an ▁att orney ▁in ▁Hil ary ▁Term , ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 3 ▁became ▁a ▁partner , ▁the ▁firm ▁being ▁Mess rs . ▁I anson ▁& ▁B anks . ▁On ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁the ▁W ake field ▁Bor ough ▁Commission ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁cl erk ▁to ▁the ▁just ices , ▁an ▁office ▁which ▁he ▁retained ▁until ▁his ▁death . ▁ ▁B anks ▁died ▁at ▁his ▁house ▁in ▁North gate , ▁W ake field , ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁December ▁ 1 8 7 2 . ▁ ▁Works ▁B anks ▁had , ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 , ▁become ▁known ▁as ▁an ▁author ▁by ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁his