John Thomas Abdy was the son and heir of Lt.-Col. James Nicholas Abdy of the
East India Company. His early education was at the
Kensington Proprietary Grammar School. He graduated in 1844 from
Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He received a
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1847 and a
Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree in 1852. In 1850 he became a
fellow of Trinity Hall, Cambridge and was
called to the bar. From 1854 to 1872, he was
Regius Professor of Civil Law at the
University of Cambridge. In 1858, he additionally became
Gresham Professor of Law in London, lecturing on the history of
feudalism. In 1871 he became a judge in the new
county court system. ==Works==