Farwell was born in
Codsall,
Staffordshire, the second son of Frederick Cooper Farwell, agent to the
Duke of Cleveland, and of Louisa Whitbread,
née Michell, daughter of Admiral Sir Frederick Michell. He was educated at
Rugby School and
Balliol College, Oxford, where he took first class honours in
classical moderations and second class honours in
literae humaniores. He was called to the bar in 1871, he became a
QC in 1891, a
bencher of
Lincoln's Inn in 1895, while in 1899 he was raised to the bench. In 1900 he came into prominence over the case known as the Taff Vale judgment. His decision, though reversed by the court of appeal, was upheld in 1901 by the
House of Lords, and ultimately led to the passing of the
Trade Disputes Act (1906). In 1906 Farwell was made a
Lord of Appeal, but resigned this position in 1913. He published
Concise Treatise on the Law of Powers (1874). His son
Sir Christopher John Wickens Farwell was also a High Court Chancery judge. ==Notable Cases==