A Brief History of Newstead & Walker
Newstead & Walker has provided legal services to its clients in the Wharfe Valley for 200 years with archive records showing a Henry Newstead practicing in Otley in 1822. The most recent Newstead was Cecil who practiced from 1920 until retirement in 1965. Cecil’s father and two uncles were also solicitors who practiced in the town as CJ and AE Newstead & Co in the early 1900’s. There are also archive records to show continuous practice in Otley by generations of his forebears to Henry Newstead, Solicitor, practicing in Otley in 1822. Henry Newstead was also appointed clerk of arraigns for the northern circuit in 1823.
The Walker of Newstead & Walker was Harry Walker, who joined Cecil Newstead in 1955. During his long career in practice Harry Walker was Chairman of the Agricultural Land Tribunal for the Yorkshire and Lancashire Region. On his retirement in 1979, Harry Walker became the first solicitor to be appointed as a Circuit Judge on the North Eastern Circuit.